Lore Accolade are Accolades granted to players for collecting Path to 2409 datachips and answering historical trivia questions. These were introduced with Season 5. Datachips are issued randomly so players may receive the same datachip more than once.

Following the Death of Praetor Shinzon at the Battle of Bassen Rift, the Romulan Government fell into disarray. Tal'aura, one of the few remaining members of the Romulan Senate and a former ally of Shinzon, declared herself the new Praetor, supported by Fleet Commander Tomalak as the new leader of the Imperial Defense Force.

However, Tal'aura's leadership was opposed by Commander Donatra, who with the support of Commander Suran and former Admiral Braeg retained control of the majority of the Fifth and Third fleets.

Any hope of a reconciliation between the two sides ended after the execution of Braeg, and Donatra vowed never to accept Tal'aura's rule.

Donatra's rebellion was not Tal'aura's only concern. The Remans, led by General Xiomek of the Reman Kapeszuk Battalion, demanded control of either a continent on Romulus or a planet with sufficient natural resources to maintain self-sufficient settlements as reparations for hundreds of years of slavery and exploitation. In response, Tal'aura cut shipments of food and needed supplies to Remus and commanded Tomalak to blockade the planet.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 1, Chapter 2

In late 2379, the USS Enterprise-E underwent a major repair and refit. About half of her crew transferred to other posts during the months-long overhaul, including senior staff officers William T. Riker and Deanna Troi, who are posted on the U.S.S. Titan, and Chief Medical Officer Beverly Crusher, who briefly served as head of Starfleet Medical before returning to the Enterprise.

Two trials are of note during this time. On Stardate 56867.84, the Founder known as the Female Changeling was sentenced for crimes committed against sentient beings during the Dominion War and committed to the Federation maximum security facility at Ananke Alpha. And on Stardate 58370.4, Ro Laren surrendered to Starfleet custody. A former member of Starfleet who defected to the Maquis in 2370, Ro plead guilty to charges of desertion and was ordered to report to a penal facility on Earth for rehabilitation.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 1, Chapter 3

The deepening economic crisis on Cardassia Prime was a concern to both the Federation and the Klingon Empire in 2380. The Cardassians were devastated by Dominion bombardment in the final days of the Dominion War, suffering more than 800 million casualties. Large portions of Cardassia Prime were in ruins and the Cardassian government did not have the resources to recover. Nevertheless, they rejected most Federation aid.

A notable exception to this stance is the Andak project, a Federation-funded program intended to restore Cardassia Prime's agricultural base. Led by Keiko O'Brien, the Andak project initially faced stiff reistance from xenophobic groups such as the True Way, as well as Gul Macet's conservative bloc of the government.

Only the influence of Cardassian governmental adviser Elim Garak, a supporter of the fledgling democracy movement, allowed the Andak project to proceed, and the team was permitted to continue its work to make the barran desert climate of Cardassia Prime support sufficient crops to feed its population.

Experts at the Daystrom Institute predicted that without more successful projects like the Andak initiative, the Cardassian Union could fall in as little as three years.

The Romulan Star Empire appeared to be moving toward open civil war during much of 2381. Federation ambassadors consulted with the representatives of the Klingon Empire and other Alpha and Beta quadrant powers about a proposed course of action to either bring peace to the Romulans or control any conflict that spilled out of Romulan space, but little was done to stop the deterioration of what was once one of the great powers in the quadrant.

Imperial forces led by Tomalak skirmished repeatedly with Reman ships in the space between their twin worlds. Despite the Remans best efforts, though, the Romulan blockade of Remus held, leading to concerns that the Remans were suffering from shortages of food and supplies. The United Federation of Planets offered humanitarian aid to both Romulus and Remus.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 2, Chapter 2

With the blockade of Remus and upheaval at home, Praetor Tal'aura had insufficient forces to stop Commander Donatra, who rallied the breakaway military forces under her command and conquered several agricultural worlds in Romulan space.

With these planets under her control, Donatra declared herself the first empress of the Imperial Romulan State and established a capital on Archenar Prime. Tal'aura vowed to retake the territory by any means necessary.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 2, Chapter 3

Although Ambassador Spock had returned to Federation space, the unification movement he founded continued to grow on Romulus. Thousands of Romulans secretly studied Vulcan history and culture and worked toward reuniting the Romulans with the world their ancestors abandoned centuries ago.

Seeing the underground organization as another population exploited by the Romulan government, Xiomek of the Reman Kepeszuk Battalion allied with the Unification movement, although the two sides disagreed on how best to reach their goals. Xiomek wanted to seek a military solution to force the Romulans to accede to the Remans' demands, while the Unification movement sought nonviolent, diplomatic alternatives.

On Stardate 59480.33, Spock presented a formal request for aid for the Unification movement to the Federation Council, which agreed to take the matter under consideration.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 2, Chapter 4

In 2381, a coalition of planets led by Bajor demanded that members of the Cardassian government and military stand trial for crimes against sentient beings for actions taken during the Occupation of Bajor and the Dominion War.

The Cardassian government refused any request to surrender its citizens for prosecution, so the coalition appealed to the Federation Council and the Klingon High Council to join them in seeking justice for past crimes.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 2, Chapter 5

Following increased activity by the Borg in the Alpha Quadrant, including the possible recreation of a Borg Queen, Starfleet appointed Captain Jean-Luc Picard to lead the defense against the renewed threat. He called on Seven of Nine to research ways to use technology brought back from the Delta Quadrant by the U.S.S. Voyager to either directly combat the Borg or to give the Federation an advantage in the coming battle.

But not all of Starfleet's energies in 2381 were directed toward military concerns. On Stardate 58839.03, Starfleet celebrated the start of construction of the USS Stargazer-A at the San Francisco Fleet Yards. The Stargazer-A and her sister ships were the first of a new class of starships designed for scientific research and exploration.

The loss of agricultural planets claimed by the Imperial Romulan Empire threatened Romulus with severe food shortages. Romulus' power plants and factories could not increase output without the heavy metals and dilithium that once flowed from Remus.

To avert the looming civil crisis, Praetor Tal'aura reluctantly accepted food shipments from the Federation. But she refused the Federation's offer to facilitate negotiations between her and Empress Donatra, saying that the dispute was an internal Romulan matter.

Tal'aura charged her proconsul, Fleet Commander Tomalak, with retaking the planets held by Donatra. Tomalak appointed Admiral Taris as his second in command and ordered her to re-organize and mobilize Romulus' remaining military forces.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 3, Chapter 2

Seeking to stabilize the homeworld, Tal'aura agreed to reform the Romulan Senate. A reorganization commission selected by Tal'aura voted to allow her to appoint senators directly rather than holding elections, and she packed the Senate with her supporters.

Leaders of the Romulan-Vulcan Unification movement petitioned Tal'aura for representation in the Senate for themselves and the Remans, but Tal'aura declined to respond to their request.

The makeup of the Romulan Senate angered Romulan nobles, who dominated the Senate prior to Shinzon's takeover but held only a handful of seats after the reorganization. Representatives of several of the noble lines argued that for centuries the Romulan Senate has been a partner with the praetor in governing the empire, something that a weakened body beholden to Tal'aura could not be.

The Line of Tellus denounced Tal'aura and withdrew its members from government service.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 3, Chapter 3

The Klingon Empire took advantage of the weak position of the Romulans to stage lightning strikes into Romulan space, retaking Khitomer and the sector surrounding it. The Federation Council criticized the move, but Ambassador K'mtok responded that the empire was simply reclaiming territory that belonged to the Klingons by right.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 3, Chapter 4

These are the words of Mojog, General of the Klingon Empire:

"It took months to convince Martok that the time was right to strike. He was concerned about the Federation, and whether this attack would challenge the alliance.

"It was none of their concern! We are Klingons! War is our birthright! The Romulans are our enemies!

"We swept across the borders in a wave of destruction, smashing their meager defenses and conquering all that we saw. Soon we reached Khitomer. The Romulans were weak and starving. They barely put up a fight. Hundreds of their soldiers fled like cowards before our warriors could even set foot on the planet.

"After almost forty years, the Romulans have finally paid for their sneak attack on our colony. The shades of the 4,000 Klingons killed in that massacre have their vengeance.

"Khitomer is ours again!"

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The Path to 2409: Volume 3, Chapter 5

Thwarted in their attempts to find a role in the Romulan government, the Unification movement, represented by Ambassador Spock, pressed its case with the Federation Council.

The Council took up the matter of formally supporting the Unificationists, but was heavy influenced by Councilor T'Los of Vulcan, who stated that the result of the unification of the two races could not be predetermined, which the probable course of the Romulans and Vulcans remaining separate could be reasonably predicted. Therefore, her only logical choice was to protect the Vulcan way of life by opposing unification.

The council did not reach a decision on whether or not to support the Unificationists, and voted to table the matter. The bill was not expected to return to the Council floor for debate again.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 3, Chapter 6

A legal issue of interest to analysts in the Federation was rights for artificial life forms. On Stardate 60334.46, Admiral Owen Paris of Starfleet Research and Development ordered the mobile emitter brought back from the Delta Quadrant by the U.S.S. Voyager to be taken to Starfleet's facility on Galor IV for study.

The Emergency Medical Hologram (EMH) known as The Doctor filed a lawsuit to block the transfer of the mobile emitter, arguing that he was a sentient being who acted as a member of Starfleet during Voyager's time in the Delta Quadrant and that the mobile emitter was necessary to his quality of life and performance of his duties.

The office of the Judge Advocate General issued an injunction against the transfer of the mobile emitter until it could study the case and issue a ruling.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 3, Chapter 7

The Bajorans and their allies continued to press for the Cardassians to surrender members of its government and military to stand trial for war crimes. But over the course of four months, 472 Cardassians wanted by the Bajorans disappeared from Cardassia Prime.

The Cardassian government reported it was attempting to determine the whereabouts of its citizens, but little progress was made. The Bajorans responded by accusing the Cardassian government of willingly assisting fugitives.

Ro Laren completed her time in Federation custody and returned to Bajor. She accepted a commission in the Bajoran militia and was appointed head of security for Deep Space Nine.

Intelligence operatives for Starfleet and the Klingon Empire continued to gather reports of unrest on Romulus. Praetor Tal'aura authorized food rationing and strict limits on replicator use on the homeworld, saying that the empire's resources must be reserved to support the military's campaign against Donatra and the breakaway Imperial Romulan State.

The shortages sparked rioting in the capital of Ki Baratan, and the struggle continued for two days before the praetor ordered troops to intervene. Observers on Romulus suggested that as many as 2,000 people died either in the initial riots or at the hands of Romulan troops.

The civil unrest and resistance from Romulan nobles strained Tal'aura's command of the empire. She called upon her allies in the Senate to help stabilize the government, and they responded by voting to expand the praetor's powers, giving Tal'aura the power to grant or remove noble titles, a privilege that previously only the emperor enjoyed. She also was granted the ability to declare war without Senate approval.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 4, Chapter 2

Ambassador Spock returned to Romulus to take his place with the Unificationists. Leaders of the movement said that although they did not win the support of the Federation, they would continue to "wage peace" on Romulus.

On Stardate 60900.31, Fleet Commander Tomalak attacked Donatra's fleet at Xanitla. Tomalak's forces were soundly defeated in the battle, and he was dealt a further blow when Admiral Taris and the twelve ships under her command defected to the Imperial side.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 4, Chapter 3

The Cardassians made some gains in their efforts to rebuild their war-ravaged planet, signing a new agreement for aid from the Federation and beginning reconstruction of Lakarian City. Excavation of several sites on the planet revealed Hebitian relics, and the publication of these finds sparked a resurgence of interest among Cardassians in ancient religious and cultural practices.

The Oralians, a religious group dating back to the Hebitian civilization that was outlawed by the Cardassian Union, began openly holding services and seeking adherents among the Cardassian population. The rise of this spiritual movement was opposed by the followers of the True Way, which continued to call for a return to the totalitarian practices of the Union.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 4, Chapter 4

In 2383, the Klingon Empire and the United Federation of Planets were at odds over the Klingon takeover of Khitomer. In a narrow vote, the Federation Council decided not to formally censure the Empire for its military action. However, the fact that the matter went to the full Council for a vote is enough of an affront for Qo'noS to temporarily recall its ambassador to the Federation.

Hardliners on the Klingon High Council demanded that Martok eject Federation ambassadors from Klingon space. Martok refused to do so, and then defeated Councilor Qolka in a duel of honor after he accused Martok of being a "pet desperate for the approval of his Starfleet masters."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 4, Chapter 5

In legal matters, Rear Admiral James Bennett of the Starfleet Judge Advocate General's office ruled that the "Data decision," referenced in The Doctor's legal arguments to keep the mobile emitter, was too narrow to be used in The Doctor's case. Bennett ruled that the precedent could only be applied to prove that The Doctor was not the property of Starfleet, and not to decide whether or not he is a sentient being. The Doctor's counsel appealed the decision, and analysts predicted that the case would continue for some time.

The Soong Foundation, a group affiliated with the Daystrom Institute and dedicated to promoting the rights of artificial life forms, announced that it was beginning research to create a mobile holographic emitter of its own design, with the hopes that the technology could be adapted for civilian use.

Federation analysts said that a shakeup in the Romulan power structure left the empire vulnerable to attack from within and without. Starfleet dispatched additional ships to the border of the Neutral Zone and considered the Romulan situation one of the main threats to Federation safety and security.

After Tomalak's defeat by Donatra and her fleet, Praetor Tal'aura removed him as proconsul, choosing Sela as her right hand and fleet commander. Sela, a human-Romulan hybrid with extensive experience in the military and intelligence fields, was a part of several major Romulan operations, including a failed a attempt to invade Vulcan and coordinating support for the House of Duras's attempt to take over the Klingon High Council in 2367. As a gift to Tomalak for his decades of loyal service to the Romulan Star Empire, Tal'aura allowed him to "retire" to his rural estates on Romulus.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 5, Chapter 2

The Romulan defeat at Xanitla made open war with Empress Donatra unfeasible. Praetor Tal'aura reluctantly agreed to negotiate with the Imperial Romulan State to determine the new borders and the establishment of a neutral zone, but rejected the Federation's offer to mediate the talks.

Donatra said that she would welcome the Federation's input, but that she would defer to Tal'aura's decision in this matter. She sent Admiral Taris to the Romulan capital as her representative.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 5, Chapter 3

On Stardate 61602.00, Tal'aura was found dead in her private chambers. Tal Shiar investigators reported that the praetor was attacked as she slept.

The Romulan capital erupted in a firestorm of rumors and accusations. Among the groups suspected of carrying out the assassination was a coalition of the noble houses, the Tal Shiar or agents working for Empress Donatra and the Imperial Romulan State.

Donatra denied having anything to do with the murder. "I face my enemies on the field of battle with honor," the empress announced in an address to her citizens, "not with a knife in the dark." Days later, Donatra recalled Taris from Romulus and ordered her to prepare to defend Imperial holdings.

At Tal'aura's funeral in Ki Baratan, Sela publically [sic] blamed the Remans and the Unification movement for the attack. "They claim to desire peace," Sela said, "but ally with the murderers and usurpers who terroized [sic] our planet and led us to the brink of destruction. The blood of one praetor was not enough for the Remans. Tal'aura was the victim of their thirst for destruction."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 5, Chapter 4

But the upheaval in Romulan space was not the only potential war that loomed on the horizon.

On Stardate 61829.83, the I.K.S. Quv was attacked by a Gorn ship. Two hundred and seven Klingons died in the battle.

Representatives of King Xrathis of the Gorn claimed that the commander of their warship was acting without orders, but refused to surrender the surviving crew of the Quv to the Klingon Empire. In response, Chancellor Martok expelled Gorn diplomats from Klingon space and ordered ships to the Empire's border with the Gorn Hegemony.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 5, Chapter 5

Representatives of the Federation Council were pleased to accept Bajor's renewed application for Federation membership, and pledged to fast-track the planet's admission. The increased traffic and commerce expected to arrive with Federation membership prompted the Ferengi to open an expansive embassy and gift shop near Quark's on Deep Space Nine.

Odo, acting as the Great Link's ambassador to the solids, met with his fellow changeling Laas on Koralis III. Odo invited Laas to return with him to the Gamma Quadrant.

Laas refused, choosing instead to continue to search for other changelings in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 5, Chapter 6

In late 2384, Starfleet transferred the Soong-type android B-4 to the custody of the Soong Foundation.

The prototype android, with a less advanced positronic matrix than Noonian Soong's later androids Data and Lore, was deactivated after its discovery by the U.S.S. Enterprise-E in 2379.

At the time of the transfer, Soong Foundation representatives said they hoped to restore B-4 full positronic functioning. [sic]

In 2385, Starfleet Command announced that it had completed a re-evaluation of all post-Dominion War assets and resources. Based on the results, the admirals had decided to refocus some ships that have been assigned to defense and diplomacy to exploration and scientific discovery.

Among the ships that were assigned to new duties was the U.S.S. Enterprise-E. "The flagship of Starfleet is not a warship," said Commander Marie Durant a spokesperson for Starfleet Command. "The Enterprise and her crew are the pinnacle of Federation achievement. We need them out on the edge of explored space, making new contacts and reaching out in friendship to races across the Galaxy." The Enterprise's final mission before returning to Earth for reassignment was to assist the population of Khitomer.

On Stardate 62230.13, the Klingon Empire announced it was expelling all non-Klingon residents of the planet as a "safety measure." It gave the residents 14 standard days to leave the planet, but Chancellor Martok later agreed to extend the deadline after speaking to Captain Jean-Luc Picard. The Enterprise-E led a contingent of ships to Khitomer, assisted in the evacuation, and the former residents were safely resettled on Federation worlds.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 6, Chapter 2

The U.S.S. Enterprise-E's mission to Khitomer was the last for its legendary captain as well. After a personal request from the president of the Federation and a great deal of personal reflection, Captain Jean-Luc Picard resigned his commission with Starfleet. After a three-month sabbatical in France, Picard took his place as the Federation ambassador to Vulcan.

He was not the only senior staff member of the Enterprise who moved on to other projects. Chief Medical Officer Beverly Crusher accepted the position of captain of the U.S.S. Pasteur, an Olympic-class ship. Her first task was to assist efforts to rebuild hospitals and medical facilities on Cardassia Prime.

And Worf, son of Mogh, also resigned his commission to Starfleet. Worf believed that with the recent strains in relations between the Federation and the Klingons, he would best be of service in a diplomatic role. He returned to Qo'noS to take up the post of lead ambassador, and a few months later began a tentative relationship with Grilka, the leader of a Klingon noble house whom he met while serving on Deep Space Nine.

With much of the senior staff gone and its role in flux, the Enterprise-E was assigned to the shipyards of Utopia Planitia for an extensive refit. The Starfleet Corps of Engineers reported that the refit would take at least a year to complete because they planned to use the ship as a testing ground for new technology. Among the new equipment installed on the Enterprise-E was an advanced sensor array first tested on Luna-class starships.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 6, Chapter 3

When the U.S.S. Enterprise-E returned to Earth, Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge requested a long-term leave of absence from Starfleet to work on personal projects, including a plan to build and test his own starship designs. His first project, however, was to assist the team at the Soong Foundation studying the Soong-type android B-4.

With La Forge's help, on Stardate 62762.91 the team unlocked what it called the "Data Matrix," successfully accessing the personality, knowledge and memories of Data, who had downloaded this information into B-4 before his destruction in the Battle of Bassen Rift. The Data persona asserted itself over B-4's more primitive programming, and the android was then able to assist the Soong Foundation team to upgrade the positronic brain and recreate the emotion chip invented by Dr. Noonian Soong. In a statement to the Federation News Service, a representative for the team said he was confident that their work would be completed in months.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 6, Chapter 4

After more than two years with no reports of Borg activity in Federation space, Starfleet Command decided to dismantle its Borg task force and use those resources elsewhere. "We can't keep waiting for something that may never happen," said spokesperson Marie Durant. "And most of our analysts now agree that Voyager dealt a bigger blow in the Delta Quadrant than we initially believed."

One Federation expert on the Borg who did not agree with Starfleet Command's decision was former task force leader Seven of Nine. She left her role with Starfleet in protest of the decision and accepted an offer to continue her research at the Daystrom Institute. When pressed by the Federation News Service for comment, the former Borg said "The Borg will return. If the Federation is not prepared, it will be their end."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 6, Chapter 5

In Romulan space, what began as a tumultuous year after the assassination of Praetor Tal'aura settled down into what was believed to be long-term solution, and both Starfleet and the Klingon Empire pulled back some ships from the borders of Romulan space.

In the weeks following Tal'aura's death, her proconsul Sela stepped in to take the reins of control in the government. Granted temporary executive powers by the Senate as an emergency measure, Sela used them to replace more than two dozen senators with representatives of noble houses who had opposed Tal'aura's rule. Among Sela's apointees was the influential noble Chulan of the Line of Tellus.

The backing of the nobles gave Sela the clout she needed to run the government, but she did not have the support of the military or the Tal Shiar and her regime was generally expected to be short-lived.

Rehaek, the leader of the Tal Shiar, made a rare public appearance to announce that he would personally lead the investigation into the assassination of Praetor Tal'aura. "There are certain things which may seem expedient but which honor abhors. We cannot allow this crime to go unanswered."

And Empress Donatra of the Imperial Romulan State won hearts among the people of Romulus by offering food shipments to non-military settlements.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 6, Chapter 6

Federation experts feared a three-way struggle for control of Romulus, but instead Donatra met with Sela and Rehaek to find a peaceful solution.

The three begrudgingly agreed to put their personal disputes aside for the good of the Empire, and the worlds of the Imperial Romulan State were folded back into the Romulan Star Empire. Donatra held onto the reins of power of the military and kept much of her forces safely off-world in case the peace didn't hold.

With the threat of civil war averted, the Senate opened debate on who to elect the new praetor. Sela, as Tal'aura's proconsul, was one of the leading candidates, and she made a play for the position. But rumors of her possible involvement in the plot to assassinate Tal'aura dogged her campaign, and when Donatra declined to endorse Sela's campaign her defeat was almost assured.

After an extensive debate, Senator Chulan was chosen to be the new praetor. He was a compromise candidate who was acceptable to, but not strongly supported by, any of the major powers. Federation analysts predicted that without the backing of a coalition of factions, Chulan would be a weak leader.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 6, Chapter 7

Donatra, who most agreed was the broker of the newfound peace on Romulus, traveled to Remus to meet General Xiomek of the Remans. She offered the Remans full citizenship in the empire and representation in the Romulan Senate in exchange for their support.

While Sela opposed the plan, which she saw as rewarding the Remans for a violent uprising, she and Praetor Chulan did not have the strength to oppose Donatra's power.

The physical strength of the Remans, as well as their supplies of dilithium and heavy metals, added to Donatra's formidable military strength, and she had the resources to reopen shipyards and munitions plants closed since Shinzon's revolt. As resources flowed back to Romulus from Remus and the worlds Donatra controlled, energy rationing and food lines became a thing of the past.

The Romulan Senate was reluctant to deal with the Remans but was swayed by popular support for Donatra, and the senators reluctantly vote to allow Xiomek to take a seat in the Sentate and to extend citizenship to the Remans. In common practice, however, most Romulans continued to treat Remans as second-class citizens, and the Remans were reluctant to relocate to Romulan settlements.

In 2386, the Romulan Mining Guild finished a multi-year study of Remus and presented its findings to the Romulan Senate. The guild reported that the planet was seriously overmined, and recommended that to avoid a Praxis situation all Remus operations should be shut down and mining operations moved to more distant areas of space.

As a proactive measure, the guild spread their operations across the Empire, settling hundreds of miners and their families on space stations and colonies light years away from Romulus.

The guild further recommended that it be put in charge of all off-world mining, but Colonel Xiomek of the Remans used his new position in the Senate to block that request. In the weeks that followed, conflict between the guild and the Remans sparked a number of skirmishes between guild ships and Remans in distant areas of the Empire.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 7, Chapter 2

After the Romulan Mining Guild discovered overmining has destabilized Remus and recommended that the population of that frozen world be moved elsewhere, Colonel Xiomek of the Remans spoke to the Romulan Senate. He argued that if the Remans are to be moved, that they should be given a continent on Romulus for their new home. The full Senate overwhelmingly rejected his proposal.

With the backing of Donatra, Rehaek and Praetor Chulan, an alternative plan was reached. The Remans instead were offered the planet of Crateris in the distant Gamma Crateris system. The site of a failed Romulan colony, the planet had a harsh climate and is beset by almost constant electrical storms but was rich in dilithium, decalithium and heavy metals.

Xiomek agreed, because even the harsh climate of Crateris was a significant improvement over Remus. Thousands of Remans boarded colony ships and made the move to their new home.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 7, Chapter 3

On Stardate 63322.55, Rehaek, leader of the Tal Shiar, sent a statement to the praetor and the leaders of the Romulan Senate with the conclusions of his investigation into the assassination of Praetor Tal'aura. Rehaek ruled that Tal'aura was killed by agents loyal to a coalition of noble houses angered by her reformation of the Senate.

Both Donatra and Sela requested to see the evidence that backed up his claims, but Rehaek refused to divulge his complete findings.

In retaliation for the death of Tal'aura, the Tal Shiar began a campaign of assaults on the noble houses, arresting dozens of nobles and seizing their assets. Sela pushed back against the persecution of her major supporters, and in response swayed the Senate to drastically cut funding to the Tal Shiar.

In a speech before the Senate, Sela accused elements inside the Tal Shiar of knowing about the plot to assassinate Tal'aura but doing nothing to stop it. "Does standing silent make them as culpable as the killers?" Sela asked. "In abandoning their sworn duty to protect the praetor, as a symbol of Romulus itself, they are no better than those who wielded the knives that killed her."

Donatra refused to take sides in the conflict between Sela and Rehaek, and instead encouraged the praetor to handle the situation. Praetor Chulan appointed a Senate committee to formally investigate the matter, but the committee took little action.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 7, Chapter 4

On Stardate 63446.41, an explosion destroyed Rehaek's home on the outskirts of Ki Baratan. Observers reported several visitors to the estate of the leader of the Romulan Tal Shiar in the hours before the blast, any of whom could have planted the explosives. The remains of Rehaek's wife and young daughter and several servants were found in the wreckage, but no trace of Rehaek was ever found. Investigators theorized that the blast was intense enough to have vaporized anyone close to the point of detonation.

Two hours after the explosion, Tal Shiar forces stormed Sela's townhouse in Ki Baratan, taking her and her personal guard into custody for the murder of Rehaek. In a secret trial held days later, Sela was sentenced to death for the crime. At the last minute, Donatra intervened. She argued that the evidence was not overwhelming, and pressured Praetor Chulan to allow Sela and her supporters to accept permanent exile instead of death.

The leader of the Romulan fleet, Admiral Taris, maintained a low profile during the troubles, putting many of her responsibilities in the hands of General Tebok. Late in 2386, she informed Donatra that she planned to take her ship to Levaeri V to investigate claims that a blade believed to be the Sword of the Raptor Star had been recovered.

The ancient sword, reputed to be one of the swords created by Vulcan swordsmith S'harien and taken into exile by S'task, was a revered artifact of the Sundering.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 7, Chapter 5

The Gorn Hegemony mourned the death of King Xrathis in 2386. His son, Crown Prince Slathis, ascended to the throne and took responsibility for dealing with the Hegemony's many troubles. One of his first acts was to re-enforce their border with the Klingons. With more ships in the region, several skirmishes were reported.

The Klingons responded to the buildup by the Gorn by sending more ships of their own to the border. The standoff escalated into open conflict on Stardate 63504.74, when a Klingon fleet bombarded the Gorn colony on Gila VI. Klingon troops landed on the planet two days later, and after a bloody battle with Gorn defenders they succeeded in taking the planet.

Federation diplomats worked with both sides trying to work out a peaceful solution, but some analysts predicted that a full war would erupt within four years. Federation Ambassador Worf made a personal appeal to his friend Chancellor Martok to end the hostilities, but privately Worf admitted that he was not sure if peace was possible.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 7, Chapter 6

All was not work for Ambassador Worf in 2386, though. He wed Grilka in a traditional Klingon ceremony with his family and many of his friends from Starfleet in attendance.

A surprise guest at the wedding of Worf and Grilka was Data. With his upgrades at the Soong Foundation complete, Data requested that his commision in Starfleet be reactivated. While there were some initial questions because the Data persona was in the body once used by B-4, after Jean-Luc Picard, William T. Riker and several other current and former members of the Enterprise crew testified on Data's behalf, Starfleet Command agreed to reinstate the android. He was promoted to captain and assigned to supervise the completion of the Enterprise-E's refit.

On Stardate 63894.06, the refit of the Enterprise-E was complete and the ship, helmed by Captain Data, left the Utopia Planitia shipyards. "We are introducing a new era of exploration and peace," said Starfleet Command spokesperson Commander Marie Durant.

Another update by Starfleet is its uniforms. Starfleet completed a redesign of the uniform code and by the end of the year all of its officers were wearing the new designs.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 7, Chapter 7

On Ferenginar, protests rocked the capital for two days after Grand Nagus Rom used tax proceeds to start free schools. Many Ferengi saw the free education as an assault on traditional values, and the demonstrations continued until Rom charged each protester ten slips of latinum for mass assembly without a proper permit.

To get a permit to protest, Rom charged a bar of latinum. Proceeds were used to fund the educational system.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 7, Chapter 8

In addition to working to curb the rising hostilities between the Klingons and the Gorn, Federation diplomats were hard at work crafting a new pact between the Federation and the Cardassians.

On Stardate 63976.74, the Cardassians signed a new treaty, in which they agreed not to field a military or wage war. In exchange, the Federation agreed to provide aid to rebuild Cardassian cities and military protection in the event of an invasion of Cardassian space.

In response to the landmark agreement, the Bajoran coalition dropped its request to prosecute Cardassians for war crimes. Many among the Bajorans and Cardassians hoped that relations between their worlds would someday be normalized.

On behalf of the Founders, Odo met with Lamat'Ukan, First of the Jem'Hadar in the Alpha Quadrant. Odo asked the Jem'Hadar to return to the Gamma Quadrant with him, but Lamat'Ukan rejected Odo as a false god.

"You wear the shape of our gods, but you do not have their spirit," Lamat'Ukan is reported to have said. "You are corrupted by your ... taste for the life of a solid. To follow you would be to sacrifice our souls. There would be no victory under your banner. Without victory, there is no life."

The Daystrom Institute announced the successful launch of the "Jellyfish," an experimental spacecraft equipped with trans-metaphasic shielding designed to withstand conditions that would destroy most other ships.

Designed by famed engineer Geordi LaForge, the ship was slated for extensive testing before it could be used for scientific and exploration missions. Starfleet announced that it was working with LaForge and the institute to determine if any of the ship's systems could be adapted for Federation use.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 8, Chapter 2

Starfleet Intelligence recommended that the Federation keep a close eye on activities of the Orion Syndicate. A multi-year crackdown on criminal activity in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants was successful in curbing the threat of the Syndicate for Federation citizens, but on Stardate 64163.8 Hassan the Undying assassinated top Syndicate boss Raimus on Farius Prime.

Raimus's death opened the door for Hassan's employer, Melani D'ian, to take over Raimus's Syndicate operations. Starfleet Intelligence estimated that after the assassination, Melani D'ian controlled as much as 30 percent of the Syndicate's operations. It was feared that other Syndicate bosses would attempt to topple her before she could extend her power base further, sparking a criminal war in the Alpha Quadrant.

Historians noted that Melani D'ian was the first Orion to rise to a top spot in Syndicate leadership in more than 20 years, and speculated that this could mark the return of the Orions as an interstellar power.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 8, Chapter 3

On Ferenginar, social and economic reforms pushed by Grand Nagus Rom were a topic almost as important as the stock market.

The Nagus presented a bill to the Economic Congress of Ferengi Advisers that would formally ally the Ferengi with the Federation. Opponents of the bill launched a campaign of advertisements that argued that a formal alliance with the Federation was an attack on traditional Ferengi values, and that the Federation would force the Ferengi to turn back on profit and the Great Material Continuum. The bill failed to pass the Congress after several lawmakers were paid to vote against it.

On Stardate 64317.6, Klingon long range sensors picked up a small Romulan fleet led by Sela. The fleet passed the Beta Stromgrem supernova remnant and continued into unexplored space.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 8, Chapter 4

Starfleet sent a battle group to Cardassia Prime to assist the Cardassians with the dismantling of their military, a process which was expected to take several years. The Cardassians planned to use a much smaller self defense force to patrol their space, and to coordinate with Starfleet for issues outside of their borders.

The arrangement was soon tested when Alpha Jem'Hadar took control of Devos II, which had been mostly unpopulated since the Dominion War. The Jem'Hadar established a base of operations near a former Dominion ketracel-white storage facility, and then expanded the facility so they could manufacture their own supplies of the substance.

Starfleet sent the U.S.S. Stargazer-A to the Devos system as a precautionary measure, but chose to take no additional action as long as the Alpha Jem'Hadar didn't make any further aggressive moves.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 8, Chapter 5

On Stardate 64333.4, a Romulan Mining Guild ship observed the start of a chain of events that would forever change the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. The star in the Hobus system, in the far reaches of Romulan space, began to exhibit massive fluxuations in radiation output. Days later, Ambassador Spock of the Federation appeared before the Romulan Senate to warn them about the dangers of this star.

Spock believed that if the Hobus star went supernova, it would create a reaction that could threaten much of the Romulan Empire. He asked the Senate to coordinate with Vulcan to find a solution. After a lengthy debate, the Senate rejected Spock's plan.

Ambassador Spock returned to Vulcan, where he met with Ambassador Jean-Luc Picard. The two appealed to the Vulcan Science Academy to assist the Romulans with the crisis in the Hobus system, but the academy declined their request without comment. The two former Starfleet officers decided that they would make their own plans to deal with the situation.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 8, Chapter 6

After the close of the Romulan Senate's session, Donatra accepted an invitation from Colonel Xiomek to visit Crateris and inspect the construction of the new Reman colony. Their flight path allowed them to perform a sensor sweep of the Hobus system.

After arriving on Crateris, Donatra and Xiomek spent several hours in a private meeting, where it is believed that Xiomek gave Donatra information about possible rogue elements within the Romulan military and government.

Donatra decided to return to Romulus earlier than planned, and invited Xiomek to take passage on her ship, the I.R.W. Valdore, so he could be in Ki Baratan for the next meeting of the Romulan Senate where the Senate would once again take up the Hobus situation.

On the way back to Romulus, Donatra contacted Admiral Taris, who was in the Levaeri system, and ordered her to return to Romulus. The message was recorded by Romulan military communications relay stations, but Taris did not change course. A later review found that there was no evidence of the message in the computer banks of Taris's ship, and that the communications officer who would have been on duty during that time could not be found.

On Stardate 64444.5, the I.R.W. Valdore reported unusual stellar activity, including a disturbance equivalent to a force seven ion storm. Romulus lost contact with Donatra's ship after the transmission, and dispatched four D'deridac class vessels to search for the Valdore.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 8, Chapter 7

The Romulan Senate finally authorized an evacuation order after the loss of the Valdore, and ships were recalled to help ferry Romulus residents off-world. At that time, the Romulan military estimated that it would take a minimum of six weeks to evacuate the homeworld.

After the destruction of the Romulan homeworld, Starfleet immediately ordered all available ships to cross the Neutral Zone and assist the Romulans with relief and recovery efforts. Several of these ships were attacked by a man named Nero, who was captaining a heavily modified Romulan vessel. Starfleet diverted additional cruisers to escort relief vessels to Romulan space.

Intercepted Romulan transmissions indicated that Praetor Chulan and the leaders of the Senate escaped Romulus before the planet's destruction. But the U.S.S. Nobel, en route to Romulus, found the bodies of Chulan and the Senate's ruling council floating in space near their derelict shuttle.

After Nero expanded his attacks to Klingon ships, Chancellor Martok ordered a fleet to enter Romulan space. He appointed his friend Worf as one of the mission's commanders, giving him the rank of General for the mission.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 8, Chapter 9

At the request of Spock and Jean-Luc Picard, Geordi La Forge brought the Jellyfish to Vulcan and agreed to allow Spock to pilot it to the Hobus system. Spock outfitted the ship with a red matter converter and departed.

According to sensor reports recorded on Stardate 64471.6 by the U.S.S. Enterprise-E, the Hobus supernova was contained by a limited singularity, ending the threat to the quadrant. Starfleet believes that Spock detonated the red matter in the rupture caused by the singularity, closing it with an artificially created black hole. It reported that both the Jellyfish and the Narada were lost in the event.

"He sacrificed himself to save us all," Ambassador Picard said of his friend Spock. "May his soul live long and prosper."

Fallout from the destruction of the Romulan system dominated interstellar events in 2388.

The Romulan colony worlds reeled from the loss of their homeworld and a vacuum in leadership. With the death of Praetor Chulan and the disappearance of Donatra, there was no one with the authority to call the worlds to order or organize a new government.

The leadership council of Rator III declared itself to be the new Romulan Senate and Rator III as the new capital of the Romulan Star Empire, but it was quickly challenged by the leaders of Achenar Prime and Abraxas V, who made similar claims.

One person many looked toward to pull the Romulan people back together was Admiral Taris. She concentrated on evaluating what military forces remained, and issued a call for all remaining Romulan ships, even deep exploration vessels, to return to Romulan space.

The Federation Council dispatched a fleet of ships to provide food and aid to refugees and to help the displaced survivors of the disaster find new homes, but Starfleet found it was forced to negotiate with each of the colony worlds separately.

What one world welcomed, another saw as false friendship or even an act of war. The fight between the three "capital" worlds further complicated issues, because any assistance given to one of them must be granted to all to avoid accusations of favoring one faction or attempting to interfere with the Romulans' internal affairs.

Most of the Federations' allies agreed to send ships and supplies to supplement the Romulan relief effort. Even the Cardassians, who were still struggling to rebuild their homeworld, agreed to a token contribution. But the Federation's appeal to the Klingon Empire to join the relief convoys was harshly rejected.

"The Klingons will offer no treaty, no aid, and no hand that is not holding a blade," Chancellor Martok responded.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 9, Chapter 3

Hardliners on the Klingon High Council, led by Councilor J'mpok, demanded that both the Romulans and the Federation be made to pay for the destruction of the fleet led into Romulan space by Worf. Some argued that because Martok handed command of the fleet to his friend Worf, a Federation ambassador, rather than a general of the Klingon Defense Force, that the entire affair may have been a trick to weaken the Empire.

These hardliners argued that even if it was not a plot, the fact remained that hundreds of warriors died under the command of a Federation official. In some Klingon minds, that made the Federation responsible for their deaths.

Martok rejected insinuations that Worf's appointment was part of a "cowardly Federation trick" and issued a standing challenge to anyone who dared to insult the honor of a member of the House of Martok. And, despite heavy pressure from hardliners on the Council, the chancellor ultimately refused calls to retaliate against the Federation.

Although a diplomatic crisis was averted, this was yet another strain on an alliance that had already been tested by the retaking of Khitomer and the Klingons conflict with the Gorn. Analysts reported that Federation-Klingon relations were at their weakest point since the Klingons briefly withdrew from the Khitomer Accords in 2372.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 9, Chapter 4

Also occupying Martok's time in 2388 was a possible treaty with the Orions.

Realizing that their homeworld in the Rigel system was beset with pollution and was almost completely depleted of natural resources, and that Starfleet crackdowns on criminal activity were a serious problem for Syndicate operations, a delegation of Orions led by Melani D'ian opened talks with both the Klingons and the Breen for possible assistance.

Melani dangled the promise of Orion support and stockpiles of ancient knowledge and treasures, but refused to commit to either side until they detailed what they could offer the Orions in return.

For his part, Worf remained on Qo'noS, recuperating from his injuries and fulfilling his duties as Federation ambassador to the Klingon Empire. On Stardate 65548.43, he was present for the birth of his second son, K'Dhan.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 9, Chapter 5

On Stardate 65776.64, the Federation News Network broke a story that reported the Vulcan Science Academy knew of the threat to Romulus but refused to take action to assist the Romulans before the destruction of their homeworld.

The outcry was immediate. The Vulcans' decision was condemned by dozens of politicians and analysts. Seventeen independent planets recalled the ambassadors to Vulcan in protest, as did Federation members Pacifica and Zaran II. Two days later, the Federation Council voted to open an investigation into the Vulcans refusal to help the Romulans, as well as the implications of the academy's work in red matter manipulation.

The Federation president made a public appeal in an address to the Federation Council for member worlds to remain calm and not ostracize Vucaln or anyone involved. "In this time of strife we need to remain united," President Nanietta Bacco said. "Assigning blame does not heal the injured, soothe the stricken or comfort the grieving."

Infighting continued among the leaders of the Romulan colony worlds. While basic needs were being met and Starfleet was delivering supplies and replicators to every world that would accept their help, the Romulans lacked a stable government and the chain of command of the military was chaotic.

Throughout the course of 2389, five Romulans tried to size the emperor's throne, more than two dozen people declared themselves praetor, and at least a dozen more claimed the role of supreme commander of the Romulan fleet. Most of these erstwhile leaders fell prey to quick assassinations. A fortunate few were simply ignored.

Federation analysts agreed that the Romulan Star Empire would remain in turmoil until there was a leader who was able to command the allegiance of the majority of the colony worlds. Federation diplomatic teams attempted to organize a conference where representatives from each of the colony worlds could take the first steps to establishing a new government and choosing leaders, but the Romulans could not even agree on where the meeting should be held and the plan collapsed.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 10, Chapter 2

The Klingon Empire took advantage of the confusion with lightning strikes into Romulan space. The empire took control of the Tranome Sar and Nequencia systems in a matter of days, and was poised to strike deeper into Romulan territory.

The Klingons temporarily halted their advance when Starfleet sent a fleet to protect the Romulan/Klingon border, but tensions remained high and there were reports of minor skirmishes between Federation and Klingon starships.

The campaign to conquer Romulan space was not the only military conflict the Klingon Empire was engaged in during 2389. Their conflict with the Gorn, which had quieted after the battle for Gila IV, erupted again when the two powers struggled for control of the Gamma Orionis system.

The Gorn took the advantage when King Slathis negotiated with the Nausicaans, who agreed to contribute ships and weapons to the Gorn war efforts in exchange for rights to several asteroid belts and a substantial payment. The Klingons refused to give up the fight for Gamma Orionis, winning several battles even when outnumbered, and Starfleet Intelligence reported that there were no signs that the conflict would end anytime soon.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 10, Chapter 3

In addition, internal strife divided the Klingon noble houses. On Stardate 66091.53, Aakan of the House of Mo'kai slew K'das, son of B'vat. The death reignited a century-long blood feud between the two houses, and B'vat threw all his efforts into hunting down every member of the House of Mo'kai.

Allies of both of the noble families entered into the fight, but in the end, Aakan was the last of his house. After Aakan flees Qo'noS, he was run to ground by agents of the House of B'vat, who cornered him on H'atoria on Stardate 66306.71. Two days later, B'vat defeated Aakan in ritual combat, and Chancellor Martok formally dissolved the House of Mo'kai.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 10, Chapter 4

The Cardassians took a major step towards self-sufficiency when they voted to replace the Reconstruction Committee with democratically-elected leaders. In the weeks leading up to the election, two groups dominated the debate: a civilian coalition with Elim Garak as a prominent member, and a hardliner group calling for the Cardassians to withdraw from the Federation-Cardassian Treaty of 2386 and re-establish the military.

Garak's coalition won a narrow victory, and in its first act reformed the Detapa Council. The council faced its first controversy when it voted to send six ships to assist the Federation's recovery efforts in Romulan space; even though polls showed that most Cardassians felt that they should reserve their resources. The Federation Council's decision to cut funding for Cardassian reconstruction by 30 percent made aid to the Romulans even less popular, and support for the council plummeted.

Speaking to reporters from the shattered remains of the University of Culat, Elim Garak defended the council's actions. "We've seen what suspicion and backroom deals have brought us," Garak said. "We know what happens when we turn our backs on the rest of the galaxy and just worry about what happens on our own street, in our own city, on our own planet. Maybe it's time to try something different."

One of the first industries to be restarted in Cardassian space was mining. A former member of the military, Gul Madred, aquired the rights to several-mineral rich [sic] planetoids and began building a large mining operation in the Septimus system.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 10, Chapter 5

Federation President Nanietta Bacco focused on smoothing relations between Vulcan and other worlds of the Federation. She and Ambassador Jean-Luc Picard did much to soothe the wounds caused by the revelation that the Vulcans may have known about the threat of the Hobus supernova.

On Stardate 66839.72, the Federation Council announced the results into an investigation of the Hobus supernova and the Vulcan Science Academy's research into red matter manipulation. The council decided that the Vulcans may not have realized the full extent of the threat of the Hobus supernova, as the explosion was greater and more violent than any supernova previously recorded. In addition, the chain reaction of the detonation could not have been predicted, and the council recommended that the event be studied further.

However, the council criticized the Vulcan Science Academy for creating red matter without consulting or informing Federation authorities. In a speech before the Federation Council, Councilor T'Los of Vulcan expressed regret if any of the actions or inactions of her people caused harm to the Federation.

She announced that all of the academy's red matter was on board the Jellyfish when it disappeared, and that the Vulcan Science Academy pledged to do no further red matter manipulation research without the full knowledge and cooperation of the Federation Science Council.

To the Romulans, she directed a single statement: "We grieve with thee."

At the end of her address, T'Los said that was only logical to change who speaks for Vulcan, as the past year made it clear that she was inadequate to the task. She resigned from the Federation Council and returned home.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 10, Chapter 6

In the courts, the case of the photonic lifeform known as The Doctor made a small advancement after years of being stalled in hearings and appeals.

On Stardate 66954.79, a Federation judge ruled that the lawsuit could be expanded into a class-action suit encompassing all sentient artificial lifeforms in the Federation. "This is about more than one being and a mobile emitter," said Alyssa Cogley-Shaw, a lawyer for the Soong Foundation. "This is about basic rights."

Cogley-Shaw said that while the expansion of the lawsuit may mean that it would remain tangled in the courts for years to come, its ultimate resolution may mean an end to the forced servitute of more than six hundred EMH Mark I holograms. And, as Starfleet re-equips more of its starships with holoprojectors to expand the usefulness of photonic "tools" such as the Emergency Command and Emergency Medical Holograms, someday those lifeforms could be considered Starfleet officers with all of the rights and privileges of their rank.

Raids on civilian ships and settlements along the borders of the Klingon Empire and Gorn Hegemony rose dramatically in 2390. Starfleet identified at least eight places near the border where the Nausicaans were constructing bases hidden in asteroid belts or nebulae.

Starfleet Command did not consider these bases to be a major threat, but the Federation Transport Union, which represented a large number of civilian freighter captains, demanded that Starfleet increase its patrols in the border regions and offer additional protections for civilian shipping traffic.

The debate on what to do raged for much of the year, and the few Starfleet vessels assigned to the region struggled to deal with the swift raider attacks. By the time a starship could respond to a distress signal, it was often too late to catch the Nausicaan ships.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 11, Chapter 2

The tensions between the Gorn and the Klingon Empire, as well as increasing Nausicaan activity in the region, put Starfleet in a position of having to balance the need for defense with the Federation's deteriorating relationship with the Klingons.

Assigning more starships to the border of Klingon space would be seen as a hostile act by the hardliners on the Klingon High Council, and tensions were already high because of the ships that Starfleet was using to reinforce the Romulan border with the Klingon Empire.

The best-case scenario for the Federation, analysts agreed, is if the Klingon and Gorn could find a peaceful solution before the conflict has a chance to engulf nearby worlds. To this end, the Federation offered to mediate talks between the Gorn and the Klingons at a neutral location.

Neither party was overeager to accept "human" meddling in a personal dispute and preliminary talks to hash out the details of the peace conference dragged on for weeks. The process came to an abrupt halt when Chancellor Martok announced that the Klingons would not participate in any negotiations until Starfleet withdrew all of its ships from the Romulan-Klingon border.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 11, Chapter 3

While the campaigns against the Romulans and the Gorn were both extremely popular on Qo'noS, projections by the Klingon Defense Force showed that the Empire's resources were being stretched thin by a two-front war.

The KDF had three recommendations: a rapid increase in ship production, eliminating some of the blocks to non-commissioned soldiers rising to the rank of officer and possibly scaling back the Romulan war in the short term. While there had been victories in Romulan space, the disorganized, displaced Romulans were not deemed to be an immediate threat to the Empire. The Gorn-Nausicaan alliance was.

Ultimately, the Klingons decided to slow their advance into Romulan space. However, they continued to garrison and defend the territory gained in the 2389 campaign.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 11, Chapter 4

The Romulan colony worlds were starting to develop a loose network of alliances and rivalries, but by 2390, none of the potential Romulan leaders was able to unify the worlds under one banner.

Left to their own devices, some of the worlds looked for allies outside the Romulan Star Empire. On Stardate 67620.54, the Romulan colony of Talvath formally requested Federation protection and offered to open talks that could lead to Talvath applying for Federation membership. Some saw this as the first step to the dissolution of the Romulan Star Empire.

A bright spot for the Romulans was Admiral Taris, who was organizing the remaining Romulan ships into a new fleet. In areas with holes in the chains of command, Taris approached each ship captain personally, and outside observers expected her to have the Romulan military fully operational within seven months.

Federation analysts warned that a strong fleet could quickly overwhelm the weak leaders of the colony worlds, and that the Romulans may soon be under military control. For her part, Taris did not publically express an interest in governing the civilian population, and ordered the focus under her control to concentrate on relief efforts and defense of the border regions.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 11, Chapter 5

On Cardassia Prime, the Detapa Council spent most of the year mustering support for a slate of reform measures designed to expand personal freedoms and promote business development. While the population enjoyed its newfound liberty and the Oralian spiritual movement flourishes, many Cardassians were uncertain about this new direction for their world.

The council's task was complicated by Gul Madred and his followers, who used the expansions in freedom of speech and assembly to organize rallies promoting a return to the "true" ways of the Cardassian Union.

A task force made up of scientists assigned to the U.S.S. Pasteur, commanded by Captain Beverly Crusher, and the Cardassian Ministry of Science announced that it had found a possible cure for Yarmin Fel Syndrome. The compound, synthesized from a rare flower that grew in the most remote areas of Cardassia Prime, could not be replicated. Because of the limited supply of the drug, it was expected to be several years before the treatment was fully tested and ready for public use.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 11, Chapter 6

On Earth, the Federation Supreme Court agreed to hear oral arguments from a group of holonovel publishers and programmers seeking to block the class-action lawsuit asking for civil rights for holograms.

The group hired a retired Starfleet rear admiral, Phillipa Louvois of the Judge Advocate General's office, to lead their case and she argued that appearing sentient does not automatically mean a hologram is sentient. Unless the holograms could be determined to be intelligent and self aware, the Acts of Cumberland and the Federation Constitution did not offer them full protection.

The Soong Foundation argued that without full holoemitter technology, it could not bring withnesses to court to speak in their own defense and that court rules precluded remote testimony in matters such as this. The justices granted the Soong Foundation a delay.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 11, Chapter 7

In late 2390, the U.S.S. Enterprise-E returned from a survey of the McAllister C-5 Nebula. Captain Data reported that the Enterprise found residual signs of multiple quantum singularities in the area of the nebula that corresponded to those used by a Delta Quadrant race kwown as Species 8472 to cross from their home dimension.

Unfortunately, the properties of the protostellar nebula in which the singularities were found made definitive identification impossible. If these singularities were used by Species 8472, it was the first sign of them near Federation space.

Raids by Nausicaan pirates continued to disrupt shipping lines on the edges of Federation space. Angry at what they perceived as a lack of response by Starfleet and the Federation government, the Federation Transport Union recommended that its members refuse official cargos.

This caused a crisis for the Federation government. With so many Starfleet vessels assigned to Romulan and Cardassian relief efforts, the government relied heavily on civilian ships for routine deliveries to Federation worlds. But the union's action threatened everything from shipments of replicators to Alpha Centauri to emergency medical supplies destined for Rutia IV.

Federation President Nan Bacco met with the leaders of the transport union, but the union refused to budge on what it said was an essential safety issue - too many ships and too many crews being lost to Nausicaan raids. Presidential aides suggested that Starfleet vessels assigned to exploration could be rerouted to border defense, but many of those ships were in deep space and it would take them months to return.

Starfleet Command reluctantly agreed to pull back from the Klingon-Romulan border and reassign those ships to patrol the shipping routes. Leaders of some of the Romulan colony worlds howled with indignation that the Federation had broken promises of protection, but those voices were silenced by a sharp rebuke from Admiral Taris.

"We are Romulan. We fight our own battles. I would rather see Romulans die with pride in their hearts and swords in their hands instead of mewing for protection like scared younglings."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 12, Chapter 2

After Starfleet withdrew from the Romulan border, Chancellor Martok agreed to honor his promise to participate in Federation-mediated peace talks with the Gorn. Representatives from the Klingons, Gorn and Nausicaans converged on Deep Space K-7 for the conference, and the Federation sent some of its most celebrated diplomats to oversee the talks.

Initial progress appeared promising, but two days into the conference Ambassador Zogozin of the Gorn was seriously injured by an explosive device hidden in a serving cart. The Klingon, Gorn and Nausicaan delegations made plans for immediate departure, but all are blocked from leaving the station by Starfleet security, which locked down the station during the hunt for Zogozin's attacker.

Two days after the attack, J'dah, a Klingon officer with ties to the extremist groups opposed to Martok's rule, was found dead. Security officers determined that J'dah was killed by a disruptor blast at close range and shoved out an airlock hours after the explosion that injured Zogozin.

If J'dah's body had not snagged on a piece of the station's hull, it may have been lost. Forensic evidence proved that J'dah was the person who planted the explosive that injured the Gorn ambassador, but his killer was never found. Journals left behind in J'dah's quarters indicate that his intended target may have been the Federation negotiation team, all of whom escaped unscathed.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 12, Chapter 3

After the attack on the peace conference at Deep Space K-7, talks between the Klingons and Gorn broke down completely. The Klingons pushed their advance into Gorn territory, and the Gorn, mindful of the need to protect their homeworld, moved ships away from their outlying territories.

King Slathis approached the Letheans for additional assistance, but most outside analysts believed that the Gorn did not have the spare resources to hire Lethean mercenaries and still pay the prices demanded by the Nausicaans for their support.

Victory for the Klingon Empire seemed to be only a matter of time.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 12, Chapter 4

After Starfleet pulls back from the Klingon-Romulan border, hardliners on the Klingon High Council pushed for a resumption of the stalled Romulan campaign. Martok and his followers urged caution, preferring to concentrate on the Gorn war and building up the Klingon Defense Force to pre-Dominion War levels.

Rebuffed by Martok, Councilor J'mpok gathered ship commanders loyal to his house and the houses of his allies and invaded the Zeta Pictoris system. There they clashed with a Romulan fleet commanded by Admiral Taris, and the Romulans forced the Klingons to retreat.

Survivors of the battle reported the appearance of highly advanced starships on the Romulan side, but their existence could not be confirmed. Martok ordered Klingon INtelligence to look into the reports in more detail, and the choS battle group was dispatched to investigate.

Federation political analysts said that while the Klingon hardliners' campaign in the Zeta Pictoris system was a failure, J'mpok's point was made. If Martok was unwilling to lead the Klingons into battle there are others who would do so. The High Council began to divide between those who are loyal to Martok and those who wanted new leadership.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 12, Chapter 5

Taris' victory in the Zeta Pictoris system rallied the Romulans, who were desperately seeking a sign of their former glory. Rator III was the first to proclaim Taris as the leader of the Romulan Star Empire, quickly followed by Achenar Prime and more than a dozen other worlds.

In an address broadcast throughout the empire, Taris said "I am a military commander, and I would prefer to remain so. The seas of politics are rife with submerged hazards and hidden perils, and a wise person does well to avoid them. But my Empire calls and I cannot resist her plea."

Taris called on the leaders of the colony worlds to meet at Rator III to select representatives for a new Romulan Senate and to make plans for a new capital.

A Federation operative inserted into the fleet that departed Romulan space with Sela in 2386 reported that Sela and her followers landed on Makar, an M-class planet in the Beta Quadrant with abundant supplies of decalithium and heavy metals. A humanoid race with technology equivalent to Earth's Iron Age inhabited two of Makar's temperature southern continents, but Sela saw the population as an additional natural resource, and within weeks her forces had hundreds of Makarans working in the mines.

The operative also reported that Sela's ship picked up a signal that was similar to the artificial quantum singularities that the Romulans use to power their warp drives, as well as signs of a massive gravitational field. Sela dispatched two ships to investigate these anomalies.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 12, Chapter 6

The Cardassian Datapa Council scored a major victory when it concluded negotiations with Ferengi Grand Nagus Rom for assistance in rebuilding their industrial complexes.

Rom agreed to provide the funding to rebuild factories, design houses and replication facilities, as well as to return to the Cardassian Ministry of Culture several valuable jevonite artifacts sacred to followers of the Oralians.

In return, Rom received exclusive trade agreements to distribute Cardassian trade goods once the factories reopen. While Rom was mocked by many Ferengi for his lack of lobes when it comes to business, if the deal succeeded it could be one of the mose lucrative arrangements in recent memory.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 12, Chapter 7

On Earth, the Federation Supreme Court ruled in favor of Phiillipa Louvois and the holonovel publishers and programmers she represented, sasying that the Acts of Cumberland would not apply to non-sentient holographic or artificial lifeforms.

The justice returned the Soong Foundation's class action suit to a lower court to determine what defined sentience in a legal sense. Not content with pursuing its agenda only in the courts, the Soong Foundation launched a campaign to lobby Federation worlds to support an amendment that would add rights for artificial lifeforms to the Federation Constitution.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 12, Chapter 8

Responding to the possibility of Species 8472 appearing in Federation space, Starfleet Command assigned a task force to investigate any possible appearances of the race. A skilled team of scientists, diplomats and security experts began to look into any signs that the species was in the Alpha Quadrant and formulate possible plans of action.

As a start to their research, the team conducted extensive interviews with the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise-E, which found the anomalies in the McAllister C-5 Nebula, and former crew members of the U.S.S. Voyager, which was the only Starfleet ship known to have definitive contact with the mysterious aliens.

And, citing the success of the extremely diverse crews of the U.S.S. Titan and her sister ships, Starfleet assigned a committee to consider expanding the admission standards at Starfleet Academy to provide more opportunities for races that are formally allied with the Federation but are not full member worlds. "Not everyone knows a Starfleet captain and can get a personal recommendation," said spokesperson Marie Durant. "That doesn't mean they wouldn't be fine officers."

News of the race for Federation President dominated news nets for much of the year. President Nan Bacco declined to run again, stating that while she didn't feel right leaving office during the Romulan crisis, "I've been here too long. We need new blood and new ideas."

The popular Bacco didn't endorse a successor, throwing the field open to dozens of potential candidates. Jaed Maz of Trill was frequently mentioned by political commentators, as were Federation Councilors Soron of Vulcan and Kevin Steiner of Terra Nova. Candidates from Bajor, Andoria and Sauria are seen as outside choices.

However, Soron and Charivretha zh'Thane of Andoria never became formal candidates and Steiner abandoned his campaign two months before the election after his ties to the Orion Syndicate were exposed by the Federation News Service. The remaining hopefuls engaged in a fierce campaign in which top issues were aid to the Cardassians and Romulans, the increasing conflicts with the Klingon Empire and whether Starfleet should be expanded to respond to the increasing threats to Federation citizens.

Ultimately, Aennik Okeg of Sauria was elected in a close vote over Jaed Maz, with Bajoran Shad Ona in third place. Okeg, the first Saurian ever to hold the Federation presidency, began his term by offering Maz and Shad places in his cabinet.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 13, Chapter 2

Federation President Aennik Okeg's first state trip took him to Cestus III, where the Klingon Empire agreed to a new round of Federation-moderated talks aimed at ending their war with the Gorn.

While the Federation diplomatic team, led by Alexander Roshenko, hoped for a successful cease fire agreement that would open the door to expand the summit to deal with Klingon-Federation trade and defense agreements that are set to expire in 2394, it quickly became obvious that neither the Klingons nor the Gorn were willing budge.

Three weeks into the talks, representatives for the Klingons and Gorn were still haggling over the official agenda for negotiations, and even a personal appeal to Chancellor Martok by Federation Ambassador Worf failed to speed up the process.

The Federation Council met in emergency session to debate possible incentives the Federation could offer the Gorn and Klingons, but all peace efforts collapsed on Stardate 69259.56 when a Gorn and Nausicaan fleet attacked the Klingon world of Ogat.

Fighting raged around Ogat for more than two weeks before Klingon Defense Forces pushed the Gorn and Nausicaans out of the system. The Klingons denounced the attack as dishonorable and Martok formally pulled the Empire out of all peace negotiations.

Klingon and Gorn ships attacked one another on sight, and when the U.S.S. Montana tried to intervene in one skirmish it was heavily damaged by Klingon disruptor fire.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 13, Chapter 3

Hardliners on the Klingon High Council, led by J'mpok, demanded even more aggressive action against the Gorn after the attack at Ogat, calling for an invasion into the Gorn Hegemony.

When Martok advised caution, suggesting that the fight should be to keep the Gorn out of Klingon space until a new fleet of warships could be launched, J'mpok denounced him as a "weak old man, hiding in his bed instead of meeting all challengers on the field of battle."

Federation political analysts expected the schism on the High Council to come to a head sometime in the next three years, and looked with concern at the growing support for J'mpok and his hawk-like agenda. One of the major houses openly supporting J'mpok was the House of Torg, a former ally of the House of Duras. In fact, Torg's adopted heir, Ja'rod, was the son of Lursa, Duras's sister and an open foe of the Federation who was killed attacking the U.S.S. Enterprise-D in 2371.

Ja'rod, who was on Ogat when it was attacked by the Gorn, survived the battle and entered training with the Klingon Defense Force on Stardate 69637.18.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 13, Chapter 4

On Cardassia Prime, the Detapa Council enacted a series of reform measures designed to promote population growth and economic stability.

Benefits were offered to families with more than one child, and thousands of soldiers displaced when the Cardassian military was disabled were provided with retraining and placement into Cardassia's burgeoning civilian industries. Many former military officers ended up employed by Gul Madred in his mining facilities in the Septimus system.

Madred's mines were operating at such a high capacity that he began exporting kelindide and uridium through Ferengi brokers. His first major buyers were Romulans, who were desperate to rebuild ships and expand their colonies.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 13, Chapter 5

One of the Romulans' construction projects was Rihan, a new capital city on Rator III. The first building completed was used to house meetings of the Romulan Colonial Organizational Committee, which was formed under the direction of Admiral Taris.

The committee completed some initial groundwork for a new government, but was beset by the in-fighting and factionalization that had plagued the Romulans since the destruction of their homeworld.

A group of moderates suggested that the Romulans needed a single figure to focus their energies and cited historical records of Romulan monarchs.

Reminders of Donatra declaring herself empress of a breakaway state troubled some members of the committee, but Admiral Taris indicated that she would support the revival of the monarchy. However, Taris said that any move to crown a ruler must be made by the Romulan people.

The rapid rise of a new chancellor for the Klingon High Council threw the Empire's relations with the Federation and other major powers into doubt.

"Whether you loved or hated Martok, he was a known quantity," said Starfleet spokesperson Commander Marie Durant. "We simply don't know enough about J'mpok."

Strained relations between the Federation and the Klingon Empire made gathering detailed information about the political situation on Qo'noS difficult.

The task was complicated by the fact that one of J'mpok's first acts was to bar the Federation's ambassador from the Great Hall. Ambassador Worf was a member of the House of Martok and one of Martok's staunchest supporters.

What was known is that tensions rose between Martok and J'mpok for some time. J'mpok and his followers on the council accused Martok of being a weak leader and a puppet for Federation interests. They questioned his close ties to Worf, as well as Martok's willingness to negotiate with the Gorn.

In return, Martok's supporters accused J'mpok of acting dishonorably and undermining the actions of Martok and the Klingon Defense Force during a time of war.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 14, Chapter 2

On Stardate 70437.47, during a debate over whether to send more ships to fight the Gorn, tensions rose to a boiling point. Infuriated by J'mpok's jibes and threats, Martok expelled J'mpok from the High Council and ordered his lands seized and his titles revoked. The House of J'mpok would be dissolved.

Martok's decree only served to further divide the council between followers of Martok and J'mpok, and both sides began preparing for war. Fighting broke out between the groups in the streets of the First City, and reports of ship crews splitting into factions begin filtering back to Klingon Command.

Remembering the damage caused by the civil war after Chancellor K'mpec's death, Martok told advisers that he planned to find a resolution with J'mpok that would end the conflict. On Stardate 70669.86, he ordered J'mpok to meet with him at the Great Hall. Martok then told his bodyguards, the Yan-Isleth, to guard the doors and allow no one to disturb them.

Two hours later, J'mpok opened the doors of the Council Chamber and announced that Martok was dead. J'mpok was now Chancellor of the Empire.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 14, Chapter 3

Drex, son of Martok, challenged J'mpok after his father's death, accusing him of murdering Martok in dishonorable combat. However, Drex was seen by most as callow and unworthy of taking up his father's mantel. B'vat, the Arbiter of Succession, quickly rejected his claim to his father's position.

Undaunted, Drex claimed the Right of Vengeance and challenged J'mpok to combat. Drex was severely injured in the ensuing battle, but J'mpok declined to kill him. Other challengers to J'mpok's claim quickly faded away, and his claim to the position of Chancellor was ratified by the High Council.

The regime change in the Klingon Empire was a major cause for concern for the Federation, and President Okeg recalled Ambassador Worf to Earth for consultations. Ultimately, the Federation decided to take a wait-and-see approach, welcoming J'mpok and inviting him to meet the Federation at his earliest convenience.

In response, J'mpok sent word through an intermediary that while he appreciated Okeg's offer, affairs on the homeworld would keep him occupied for some time.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 14, Chapter 4

Happier news for the Federation was the formal admission of Bajor and Tama Prime as full members. The long process of acclimating the planets' economies and populations to life in the Federation began with a few bumps, although this process was eased somewhat in Bajor's case because of the close ties between Bajor and the Federation since the end of the Cardassian occupation in 2369.

One notable exception to the financial conversion was Quark's Bar, Grill, Gaming House, Holosuite Arcade, Gift Shop and Embassy on Deep Space 9. As a formal embassy for the Ferengi Alliance, it was business as usual at Quark's. Being the best place for free trade in the Bajor Sector brought a significant increase in traffic to Quark's, and the owner was said to be in the market for a moon.

In one of their first ventures as Federation citizens, the Children of Tama worked with Starfleet to open a new linguistic research facility on El-Adrel IV. "Dathon and Picard, at El-Adrel. Picard, his heart open," said Co-director Meltha at the facility's dedication.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 14, Chapter 5

While doing a stellar survey near 2466 PM, the U.S.S. Stargazer-A was contacted by an entity claiming to be from the Metron Consortium.

If this being's claim was correct, it would be the first contact the Federation had with the Metrons since 2267. The being agreed to tour the ship, met with Captain Roma Giordano, and said that while the younger races were still unready for contact, they have made progress.

And the legal fight for civil rights for artificial lifeform hit a snag over the hologram known as "Moriarty." Alerted to its existence in a Starfleet computer, the Soong Foundation sued to have the program released into its custody.

Attorneys for Starfleet argued that Moriarty and his companion were a security risk, and that the program's attempt to take over the U.S.S Enterprise-D in 2369 allowed Starfleet to keep it in indefinite custody to protect the public. "That's just imprisonment without a trial," argued Alyssa Cogley-Shaw, lead attorney for the Soong Foundation. "Since when did Starfleet turn into the Obsidian Order?"

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The Path to 2409: Volume 14, Chapter 6

The Cardassians took a major step toward self sufficiency when Detapa Council member Natima Lang struck an agreement with Reman leader General Lorix. Lorix agreed to sell dilithium and heavy metal ores to the Cardassians, which allowed them to drastically expand their production of ships and warp drives.

By the end of the year, the Cardassians were using Ferengi brokers to sell ships including the Type V Commercial Laboratory throughout the Alpha Quadrant.

The increase in ship production led to more commercial traffic in and out of the Septimus system, where Gul Madred owned several large mining operations. Claiming that his mines were attacked by raiders and that the Cardassian Defense Force could not adequately protect Cardassian citizens, Madred contacted Lamat' Ukan, leader of the Jem'Hadar in the Alpha Quadrant.

Lamat'Ukan sent troops to protect Madred's mines over the protests of the Cardassian government, which saw the presence of the Jem'Hadar as a threat.

Madred argued that hiring private security to protect his property and employees was his right as a business owner, and that if the Jem'Hadar did not break laws or threaten Cardassian citizens it was not the Detapa Council's concern.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 14, Chapter 7

In Romulan space, the Romulan Colonial Organization Committee continued the work of forming a new Romulan government. Several legislative sessions were interrupted by arguments between Admiral Taris and General Tebok about what the role of the Romulan military should be in the new regime.

Tebok swayed a portion of the RCOC with his argument that far-flung areas of the Empire, particularly the areas near Klingon space, could and should be sacrificed in the short-term to strengthen the position of what are now the Romulan core worlds, but Taris countered that it was the duty of the Romulan fleet to keep fighting for every world.

The debate took up much of the later part of the year for the RCOC, but no decision was reached.

Chancellor J'mpok of the Klingon High Council moved to cement his position by launching the negotiations with Melani D'ian of the Orion Syndicate into high gear.

"Martok was interested in the secrets she claimed to offer, but he knew that any agreement with the Syndicate would be difficult," said Tag Morkek, a political analyst for the Tellar News Service who specializes in Klingon affairs. "The Emerald Empress is slippery. Melani's idea of 'truth' can change from minute to minute."

"Still, J'mpok's House is weak. He's going to need support if he wants to stay in power."

Federation informants inside the Klingon Empire said that the House of J'mpok, which was one of the smallest of the Great Houses, was being pressured by the House of Martok and its allies. J'mpok's rapid rise to the Chancellorship improved the House's prospects, but it lacked resources and ships and its lands in the Pheben system were poor.

"The only thing keeping the House of Martok from declaring open war is Drax," said one anonymous source. "Once he recovers from his wounds, it's only a matter of time."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 15, Chapter 2

On Stardate 71283.12, Melani D'ian met Chancellor J'mpok in person on Ter'jas Mor. After four days of negotiations, the two agreed to sign a non-aggression and mutual defense pact.

In exchange for the Orion Syndicate's allegiance, the Klingon Empire agreed to provvide them with ships and weapons. In addition, Melani D'ian further agreed to share technology and information with the Klingons in exchange for a planet in Klingon space that the Orions could rule as a vassal state.

"Having access to the Syndicate information network could be a huge advantage for the Empire," said Tag Morkek of the Tellar News Service. "Klingon Intelligence is good, but they're not everywhere like the Syndicate is."

As a gift to celebrate their new alliance, Melani sent 1,500 Orion women to be servants in the Great Houses on Qo'noS. melani herself settled into an estate on Tar'jas Mor, and the remaining Orions still on the Orion homeworld made plans to emigrate by the end of 2394.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 15, Chapter 3

The Federation Council condemned the Klingon's alliance with the Orion syndicate as support for criminals, and Starfleet Command vowed to continue pursuing and shutting down Syndicate operations in Federation space.

"There's nothing in the Khitomer Accords that say we need to stand by and let allies of the Klingons sell illegal substances, raid our commercial transports and traffic in restricted technology," said a spokesperson.

In fact, reviews of Starfleet reports showed that Syndicate traffic increased significantly after Melani D'ian seized control, Melanie ruthlessly purged anyone she deems "untrustworthy," and fused the remaining Orions into a unified organization that answered to her alone.

"She's dangerous," admitted Admiral Jorel Quinn on an episode of the Federation News Service program Illuminating the City of Light. "Before, the Syndicate was controllable because there were multiple leaders competing for influence and power. Now Starfleet Command has to dedicate more resources to keeping them in check."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 15, Chapter 4

In Romulan space, the Romulan Colonial Organization Committee completed its initial work to form a permanent government for the Romulan Star Empire. The RCOC narrowly rejected the plan to reform the Romulan monarchy, deciding instead to organize a new Romulan Senate at Nova Roma, the new name for the capital being constructed on Rator III.

The committee offered Admiral Taris, the hero of Zeta Pictoris, the position of Praetor, but the majority of legislative and executive power was held by the reformed Romulan Senate.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 15, Chapter 5

The case at the heart of the fight over the legal status of artificial lifeforms came to a close when the Supreme Court of the Federation ruled that The Doctor is indeed a sentient being, and, as such, he had the right to self-determination and the right to retain the mobile emitter brought back from the Delta Quadrant.

The court went on to set standards which artificial lifefroms must pass to be considered sentient, and ruled that any that cannot do so are technological constructs that are the property of their creators or owners.

"This is a major victory," said Alyssa Cogly-Shaw of the Soong Foundation after the ruling. "These are people, not replicators. We won't stop until every photonic lifeform has the right to choose how they want to live."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 15, Chapter 6

When Ambassador Worf returned to Qo'noS, he found he was in need of a new executive aide. The ambassador's son, Alexander Rozhenko, had resigned his position as a diplomat for the Federation and left Qo'noS, sending his son D'Vak to stay with Worf and his family.

"Alex tried to live like a good Klingon, but his heart was never in it," a source told the Federation News Service. "When his wife left, that was the breaking point."

"I think what B'Enn really loved was belonging to the House of Martok. After the Chancellor died, she was ready to move on."

Friends said D'Vak's mother B'Enn had returned to her home on H'atoria and Rozhenko was on what he called a "personal exploration."

His first stop was Boreth. While there, he planned to undergo the Challenge of Spirit.

Tragedy struck for Starfleet on Stardate 72487.91, when the U.S.S. Kelso was lost with all hands.

The Kelso was supposed to be on a routine mission to study the long-term effects of the Hobus supernova on star systems in the Devron Sector when it was destroyed. Initial reports indicated that the Kelso could have come under attack. However, when the remains of the vessel were recovered by the U.S.S. April, it was found that a coolant leak caused by an experimental cloaking device onboard the Kelso caused plasma to vent from the ship. The plasma reacted with ionizing radiation present in the area, causing the explosion which destroyed the Kelso.

After careful consideration, Captain Barax Wenn of the April revealed the cause of the Kelso's destruction to the captains of the Romulan ships assisting in the search for the vessel. In response, Praetor Taris lodged an immediate complaint with the Federation Council, and, as a "gesture of good faith," informed the Klingon Empire of the details of the Kelso's destruction as well.

Starfleet Security admitted that the U.S.S. Kelso was testing a Federation cloaking device. The Romulans then ejected all Federation diplomats and ships from their space in protest, and Chancellor J'mpok recalled the Klingon ambassador to the Federation back to Qo'noS for "strategic discussions."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 16, Chapter 2

After the revelation that Starfleet was testing a cloaking device, tensions between the Federation, Romulans and Klingons were at their highest point since the destruction of the Romulan homeworld in 2387. After a full inquiry, six members of Starfleet Security were court-martialed.

It took three months for Federation President Aennik Okeg to convince the Romulans and the Klingons to send representatives to a summit to discuss the situation. When the meeting finally began, Okeg made the Federation's position clear. He apologized for the experiments into cloaking technology, and said that he had signed an executive order banning all research into or creation of Federation cloaking technology.

"The narrow legal view may be that the Treaty of Algeron ended when Romulus was destroyed," Okeg said. "The Romulan Star Empire we knew is gone, and you are a new people. What has not changed is the Federation's commitment to peace."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 16, Chapter 3

Happier news for Starfleet was the successful conclusion of the dispute over the mobile emitter now in the possession of the photonic lifeform known as The Doctor.

He agreed to accept a commission as a lieutenant commander in Starfleet and took the post of chief medical officer at the research facility on Galor IV. Because the mobile emitter would be with him at Galor IV, the Starfleet Corps of Engineers would have the opportunity to study the device.

"It was never that I didn't want to let Starfleet learn more about the mobile emitter," said The Doctor in an interview with the Federation News Service. "I respect Starfleet a great deal, and I have the utmost amount of admiration for Admiral Janeway and the fine men and women in the service. I needed Starfleet to respect me."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 16, Chapter 4

On Stardate 72858.96, the Vulcans honored the 225th anniversary of the completion of work on the monastery at P'Jem. The original monastery was constructed more than 3,000 years ago, but it was destroyed by Andorian orbital bombardment in 2151.

After the founding of the United Federation of Planets was founded in 2161 [sic], a coalition of Andorian, Vulcan and Human craftsmen rebuilt the monastery using hand tools and ancient Vulcan techniques.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 16, Chapter 5

A strange incident was reported on the Klingon world of Rha'darus. While on shore leave from his duties on the I.K.S. Kang, Ja'rod, son of Torg, was ambushed by three Klingon warriors. He managed to kill two of them and brought the third back to his ship.

Expecting the attack to be from an enemy of the House of Duras, Ja'rod was shocked to discover that his attackers weren't Klingon at all! Application of a painstik forced the captive to change and its shape morphed from a Klingon to that of a strange tripedal alien.

Under questioning by Ja'rod and members of the Kang's crew, the alien revealed that it was a member of a species known by its Borg designation of Species 8472. The alien called itself an Undine, and revealed that not only was its party specifically sent to Rha'darus to capture Ja'rod and replace him, this was not the first time the Undine have done so.

There were Undine infiltrators in every major political entity of the Alpha and Beta quadrants.

A medical crisis put a strain on the rebuilding of the Romulan Star Empire. An outbreak of Bloodfire ravaged the Kevratas system, ultimately spreading to multiple colony worlds.

The disease is lethal to several species, including Romulans, but is curable if treated promptly with a drug developed by Beverly Crusher. Praetor Taris seemed uninterested in treating the disease, however, preferring to stop its spread with a quarantine of the Kevratas system.

The quarantine was enforced by a blockade of Romulan ships, and stopped all food and medical shipments to the planet during its coldest season. Thousands died from disease and starvation.

"It seems like Taris is letting these people die like it's some sort of experiment to her," said Admiral Zelle, an expert on Romulan politics. "If she ever saw someone die from Bloodfire, she'd have more compassion."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 17, Chapter 2

On Cardassia Prime, Detapa Council staffers completed a three-year audit of post-Dominion War assets. The audit found that the rebuilding of cities devastated by the Dominion bombardment was proceeding ahead of schedule, and that work crews could move to Lakarian City by the end of the year.

An ominous counterpoint to the successful rebuilding of the homeworld, however, was the fact that at least 75 warships and an undetermined amount of weapons known to have survived the war were missing.

"These aren't shuttlecraft, they're Galor-class warships!" said Bajoran activist Crom Neret. "Do you know what someone could do with firepower like this? That's enough to launch another invasion!"

Starfleet hastened to assure the Bajorans and Cardassians that they are safe. "We're here. We will protect you," said Starfleet Command spokesperson Marie Durant. "We will honor our treaties with the Detapa Council, and we will assist the Cardassian Defense Force in any way we can. These ships will be accounted for."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 17, Chapter 3

Nausicaan forces working for the Gorn Hegemony destroyed three Klingon outposts with a coordinated surprise attack. J'mpok waved off accusations of being unprepared by remarking that "there are always casualties in war," and then retaliated by sending General D'ald and the Klingon Defense Force's Seventh Fleet to the Orelious [sic] system.

The fleet obliterated a hidden Nausicaan base in the Orelious IX asteroid belt, and then proceeded to hunt down and destroy every Nausicaan ship that escaped before the base was destroyed.

One ship is missing from the Seventh Fleet's attack. When Captain Klor of the I.K.S. Kang refused to fully investigate the claims of the Undine captured in the Rha'darus system, Ja'rod, the second officer, led an uprising of the crew. Klor and his first officer were executed, and the crew proclaimed Ja'rod to be the new captain.

After transmitting a coded message to Qo'noS, the Kang cloaked. Its whereabouts were unknown.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 17, Chapter 4

After the I.K.S. Kang disappeared from sensors, General D'ald ordered the ship to return to its patrol, but there was no response. At that point, J'mpok stepped in and ordered D'ald to stop attempting to locate Captain Ja'rod.

Observers of Klingon Empire politics speculated that J'mpok could be attempting to curry favor with the Houses of Torg and Duras by giving Ja'rod a free rein. Both of those Houses were among the oldest in the Empire, with ties that stretched back to the Imperial bloodline.

While their losses in the Klingon civil war of 2368 and subsequent defeats had dimmed the house of Duras' luster, there are many houses that still owed favors or outright allegiance to Duras. Also, these observers say, Captain Klor was a member of a house loyal to the House of Martok, so his death was no great loss for the Chancellor.

"Trying to understand the intricacies of the Great Houses is like trying to play anbo-jyutsu with bat'leths," said Tag Morkek of the Tellar News Service. "Everyoone is going to be bloody when it's over. There are oaths of honor and feuds that stretch back for hundreds of years, and you never know when someone's going to call in a debt taken on by your great-great-great grandfather."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 17, Chapter 5

Starfleet observation posts saw an increase in ship traffic going to the far reaches of the Beta Quadrant. Reports indicated that the Dopterians were funneling ships and supplies to Romulan exile Sela and her followers in exchange for decalithium. Ships similar to those found in reports from the U.S.S. Voyager also were sighted in the region.

Since Sela was well out of Federation space, Starfleet had no grounds on which to stop the trade. However, Starfleet Intelligence kept a close eye on the situation, and they were formulating a plan in case Sela became a threat to the Federation. Also, since decalithium is a highly restricted substance, any ore that the Dopterians brought into Federation space was subject to seizure.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 17, Chapter 6

Alexander Rozhenko returned to Earth with his son D'Vak. Rozhenko took a post teaching political science at the the Saint Petersburg State University and told friends that he was considering writing a book about his experiences on Boreth. He had no plans to return to the Klingon Empire.

And on Stardate 73963.51, Captain T'Vix of the U.S.S. Cochrane was removed from duty along with her first officer and chief of security. The Cochrane was assigned to monitor the Neutral Zone, but was recalled to Earth Spacedock days later for personnel reassignment, and the remaining crew was dispersed among more than a dozen other posts.

Starfleet gave no reason for the change in orders, and all records of what happened on the final days of the Cochrane's missions were sealed by Starfleet Intelligence.

It is believed that the Cochrane will return to duty after a refit with a new crew, but one anonymous report stated that the ship was sent to a Starfleet Intelligence starbase for analysis.

An era ended when Geordi La Forge left Engineering for Command. La Forge was dividing his time between ship design and his duties with Starfleet for several years, but when the opportunity arrived to take his own command he could not turn it down. La Forge was promoted to captain of the U.S.S. Challenger, and recommended Commander Nog to be chief engineer of the U.S.S. Enterprise-E.

The promotion gave the first Ferengi in Starfleet another record. He was the first Ferengi to serve on Starfleet's flagship. Nog's example inspired other Ferengi, and the 2396 class at Starfleet Academy included four Ferengi cadets.

"We're seeing a dramatic change in the Ferengi culture," said Talsa Gray of the University of Alpha Centauri. "Commerce and profit still play a huge role in who the Ferengi are, but the social reforms of Grand Nagus Rom and the example of his son are showing younger Ferengi that they can make their own choices. If you don't have the lobes for business, do something else."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 18, Chapter 2

Chancellor J'mpok reluctantly agreed to a third round of peace talks between the Klingon Empire and the Gorn Hegemony. His decision put him in opposition to a large bloc on the High Council. These opponents favored war against the Gorn, and there were rumblings in the halls of Qo'noS that J'mpok was catering to the Federation just as Martok did.

For his part, J'mpok said that it is only wise to explore all options. And on Stardate 74461.35, he silenced many of his critics in a most dramatic fashion.

The I.K.S. Kang, missing since the previous year, reappeared long enough for Ja'rod to announce that the House of Duras was allying with the House of J'mpok.

The alliance with Duras gave J'mpok's house the support of many of the oldest and most influential of the Great Houses, and J'mpok quickly reminded many on the High Council that debts owned to Duras were now owed to him as well. The move also fully returned the House of Duras to legitimacy, as J'mpok used his powers as chancellor to wipe away past rulings against the house.

The shakeup in the Klingon political scene now meant that most of the Great Houses were beholden to either the House of Duras or the House of Martok, and observers said that the polarization of the Empire would only continue.

Following the announcements, the I.K.S. Kang cloaked and disappeared again. However, data from Klingon sensor stations placed the Kang near the M'Char system, which is near the border between the Klingon Empire and the Gorn Hegemony.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 18, Chapter 3

Starfleet Intelligence reported that Hassan the Undying moved his base of operations to the former Orion homeworld. Observers did not believe that this was a sign of a break between Melani D'ian and her greatest ally, but suggested that Hassan was still acting on her orders.

"There's no reason for Melani to toss Hassan aside," said Blix Brol, an investigative reporter for the Federation News Service. "If anything, the Emerald Empress wants someone that she trusts implicitly running Syndicate operations outside of Klingon space while she stays safe behind a wall of warriors."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 18, Chapter 4

In Romulan space, the government of Kevratas,, which was decimiated by a plague of Bloodfire and the subsequent Romulan quarantine, declared its independence from Romulan rule.

"They've given us nothing but death and offered nothing but more pain," said Kevatran leader Kito. "We owe Taris no allegiance."

Praetor Taris ordered General Tebok to put down the insurrection with force, but the general refused to order his troops to fire on civilians. He instead negotiated a settlement with Kito, agreeing to give the Kevatran leaders safe passage to Nova Roma to present their grievances to the Romulan Senate and ordering that relief supplies and medical personnel be sent to Kevatras immediately.

In response for his insubordination, Taris ordered Tebok to resign his position as head of the Romulan military. Tebok refused and instead appealed to the Senate, which overruled Taris.

"In the old days of the Romulans, Tebok would have ended up on the wrong end of an honor blade," said Emal Kotay of the Trill News Service. "Now, not only is he alive, he's still in charge of the fleet. The cracks are appearing in Praetor Taris' rule, and if she doesn't do something soon she won't last."

After six years of reports, panels and legislative wrangling, the Federation council approved rules for dual citizenship. This option was created to allow beings to apply for permanent residency and other rights without sundering all of their ties to their homeworlds.

Dual citizens could live and work anywhere in the Federation, apply for Federation grants, and even vote in Federation elections. However, dual citizens owed allegiance to and were subject to the laws of both political entities of which they are citizens. Also, the homeworld of an applicant must allow dual citizenship as well.

The Soong Foundation and other artificial life groups argued that the bill should be extended to artificial lifeforms, but the Federation Council refused. Artificial lifeforms must either pass the tests established by the Supreme Court of the Federation to be granted full citizenship, or they were property. There was no middle ground.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 19, Chapter 2

Cardassia Prime's Detapa Council quickly passed a law allowing Cardassians to become dual citizens of the Federation, and Grand Nagus Rom bullied a measure through the Ferengi Economic Congress of Advisors that allowed Ferengi to take part in the program after purchasing a citizenship license.

Dozens of unaffiliated worlds moved to allow this option to their citizens as well, but on Qo'noS, the High Council refused to follow suit. Their refusal blocked Klingons who hadn't severed ties to the Empire from applying for Federation citizenship.

Rhea, a Ferengi geologist working on Earth, was the first being to be granted dual citizenship under the new program. "I'm proud to be part of the Federation, but Ferenginar is my home," Rhea said. "This cost me a few bars of latinum, but it's worth every strip."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 19, Chapter 3

Federation President Aennik Okeg was a tireless champion for dual citizenship, and many attributed the success of the program to his influence. A boost from new voters easily pushed Okeg past challengers from Alpha Centauri and Trill into a second term of office.

In his re-inauguration speech, Okeg reached out to the Klingon Empire. "We have had our differences, but we are stronger together than apart," Okeg said. "Unity is the honorable path."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 19, Chapter 4

In Starfleet, Lieutenant Naomi Wildman was assigned to be the new helm officer of the U.S.S. Hathaway. And Miral Paris, another child who was born on the U.S.S. Voyager, entered Starfleet Academy.

Paris' presence in the incoming academy class was notable to those who follow Klingon affairs. Several news stories about Paris and the new recruits reported the legend of the kuvah'magh, a Klingon religious figure believed to be a prophetic figure by some.

After reporters made an attempt to enter the dormitories at the Academy, Starfleet issued as statement from Paris asking for privacy. "I'm a student, not a savior," the statement read in part, "Allow me and my classmates peace and privacy."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 19, Chapter 5

On Stardate 75705.90, the Federation-mediated peace talks between the Gorn Hegemony and the Klingon Empire are disrupted by an explosion that rocked the resort on Casperia Prime where the talks were being held.

Seven people were critically injured by the blast, including Ambassador K'mtok of Qo'noS and Mira Genstra, a deputy mediator for the Federation. Genstra was stabilized and then evacuated to her home on Betazed, but K'mtok died during surgery onboard the I.K.S. Gorkon.

The crew of the Gorkon cooperated with Captain Data of the U.S.S. Enterprise-E to investigate the explosion. They found that an ultritium resin explosive device was hidden in the room where the delegates were meeting.

Although it was initially thought that the device was planted by a member of the resort staff, ties to Klingon extremist groups were quickly uncovered. The device was tracked back to Toral, son of Duras, who was a fugitive from both the Federation and the Klingon Empire. The Gorkon pursued Toral's ship into the Archanis Sector, but it escaped.

The Federation attempted to restart the peace talks, but both the Klingon and the Gorn recalled their delegations. There will be no cease-fire.

"If I were into conspiracies, I'd mention that K'mtok was appointed by Chancellor Martok, and now the door's open for J'mpok to appoint one of his allies as ambassador to the Federation. But I'm not going to do that, because I'm not a conspiracy theorist," said Tag Morkek, a political analyst for the Tellar News Service.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 19, Chapter 6

In what was seen as a deliberate insult to Praetor Taris, General Tebok promoted General Velal to command of the Romulan Second Fleet. Velal was openly critical of the praetor and her policies, and was one of the officers responsible for negotiating the agreement that kept Kevatras under Romulan control.

Operatives for Starfleet Intelligence reported that the changeling known as Laas arrived in the Devos system with two other changelings. When Laas was last seen, he was searching for other changelings who had been sent to the Alpha Quadrant as observers. Whether or not these changelings were part of that group was unknown.

Responding to the success of the Federation dual citizenship program, Starfleet expanded the Starfleet Academy admission guidelines to accept applicants from races allied with, but not formally part of the Federation. These cadets would be allowed to apply for dual citizenship and would otherwise be considered a full citizen of the Federation, and therefore would not need a command-level recommendation for acceptance.

"There are many dedicated, quality applicants out there who simply don't have access to a Starfleet captain," said Starfleet spokesperson Marie Durant. "We're opening the doors."

One change that Starfleet saw immediately was a rush of Ferengi applicants. Inspired by the example of Nog and social reforms on Ferenginar, hundreds of Ferengi applied to join Starfleet.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 20, Chapter 2

On Stardate 76014.61, dignitaries from throughout the Federation gathered to celebrate the opening of the first links of the Federation transwarp network, a rapid transit technology based on Borg designs found by the U.S.S. Voyager.

"Planets that were weeks away at warp will be connected in ways they never could be before," said Federation President Aennik Okeg. "When the crew of the U.S.S. Voyager brought this technology back from the Delta Quadrant, they created a world where someday you can have breakfast on Deep Space Nine, and be at Cestus III in time to catch an afternoon baseball game."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 20, Chapter 3

On Stardate 76306.19, the I.R.W. Alth'lndor notified Nova Roma that it was experiencing unexplained malfunctions in several systems, but that the problems would not impede the ship's progress.

General Velal offered to send a ship to rendezvous with the Alth'lndor. Tebok assured Velal that the engineers on the Alth'lndor believed the problems were being caused by a computer virus and that they would have a solution for the problem shortly.

Two hours later, the Alth'lndor dropped out of warp and transmitter a final distress signal. The I.R.W. Kaidor was the closest vessel, and it raced to the Alth'lndor's location. The Kaidor reported detecting an antimatter containment failure, but before her crew could act the Alth'lndor exploded, killing General Tebok and all hands.

Praetor Taris ordered that until a new commander for the fleet was selected all fleets must report to her directly. Velal went to Tebok's allies in the Romulan Senate to block Taris, and the Senate quickly passed a bill that mandated Senate approval for all high-level military appointments.

The uncertainty in the chain of command once again threw the Romulan fleet into chaos, and several commanders announced that they would no longer report to any authority but their own. Starfleet stepped up border patrols in response, hoping to block any rogue ship before it could attack a Federation target.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 20, Chapter 4

President Aennik Okeg announced plans to travel to Qo'noS to meet with Chancellor J'mpok to try to find a peaceful solution to the Klingons' conflict with the Gorn. However, before he could depart Paris, the I.K.S. Kang returned to Qo'noS.

Captain Ja'rod met in a closed session with J'mpok and the High Council for more than seven hours. Reports indicated that Ja'rod revealed the details of his investigation into the Undine presence in the Gorn Hegemony to the Council, and that the infiltration went much deeper than previously believed.

A day later, J'mpok, with the full backing of the High Council, ordered an invasion of the Gorn Hegemony. "No more waiting. No more talking. We are Klingon, and we will protect the Alpha Quadrant from these qa'meH quv - these replacers of honor with dishonor. We attack!"

A combined Klingon and Orion fleet stormed across the border into the Gorn Hegemony. The ships clashed with Gorn and Nausicaan forces in multiple systems, and the simmering conflict flared into open warfare.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 20, Chapter 5

After the Klingon Empire invaded Gorn space, J'mpok sent a message to President Aennik Okeg, asking for Federation assistance as spelled out in the Khitomer Accords. In response, the Federation Council condemned the invasion and demanded that the Klingons withdraw from Gorn space and return to the negotiating table.

"This is not the first time that the Klingons have acted rashly," said Councilor Astoni-Yhard of Grazer. "For all we know, they're chasing shadows. What reason would these 'Undine' have for being here now?"

The Klingon response was swift. In a tersely worded message, J'mpok pulled the Klingon Empire out of the Khitomer Accords and recalled all Klingon ambassadors back to Qo'noS.

"Chancellor J'mpok's decision is regrettable," Okeg said. "However, it is his to make. We will continue to do all we can to repair our relationship wiht our longtime friends in the Klingon Empire."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 20, Chapter 6

After the Klingons withdrew from the Khitomer Accords, Federation citizens were unceremoniously ejected from the Empire. It is only because of his ties to Qo'noS that Ambassador Worf was allowed to stay in the First City.

"J'mpok needs the ships and crews loyal to the House of Martok fighting the Gorn," a Federation government insider told the Tellar News Service. "If he had kicked Worf out, Drex would have pulled his support."

"Still, I don't think that the fight between Drex and J'mpok is over. The needs of the Empire may be foremost today. Tomorrow is a different story."

The combined force of the Gorn and Nausicaan fleets initially repelled the Klingon advance, earning them a measure of respect for their ferocity in battle.

"The Gorn do not surrender," said K'Mek, captain of the I.K.S. Veqlargh. "They fight almost as well as Klingons."

Starfleet observers said that this time the Klingons may not have an easy victory. "The Gorn are fighting for their homes," said Admiral Jorel Quinn. "They're going to make the Klingons bleed for every meter of space."

For its part, the Federation reinforced outposts and colonies along the border of Klingon space and prepared to handle any spillover of hostilities. However, standard orders were not to seek confrontation.

"We are protecting Federation citizens and property," said Starfleet spokesperson Marie Durant. "But we have no interest in getting involved in what is a matter between the Klingon and the Gorn."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 21, Chapter 2

The Federation Council passed a measure that declared the Klingon-Gorn war unlawful, citing violations of the Khitomer Accords and the Jankata Accord. Both the Klingons and Gorn ignored the censure.

"I think it shows just how ineffectual the Federation Council is these days," said Milla Van of the Trill News Network. "What are they going to do next, outlaw excessive heat in Vulcan's Forge?"

The intractability of the Federation Council's position limited diplomatic endeavors, but throughout the year Ambassador Worf and Federation officials repeatedly attempted to talk to Chancellor J'mpok or members of the High Council in an effort to restart the Federation-Klingon alliance or to convince the Klingons to attend a summit with Federation President Aennik Okeg. For the most part, their requests were denied.

"The war is consuming much of the High Council's time," Okeg told a reporter from the Federation News Service. "We'll keep extending the hand of friendship. When the time is right, the Klingons will know that we're willing to let whatever bygones there are to be forgotten."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 21, Chapter 3

One diplomatic victory for the Federation was the normalization of relations between the Cardassians and the Bajorans. Ever since Bajor joined the Federation, it had been a priority for the Federation and the Detapa Council to settle the last few remaining issues between the two worlds. On Stardate 77418.94, the Cardassians opened an embassy on Bajor, and visa restrictions were lifted on travel between the two worlds.

"It's taken more than thirty years to heal the scars of the Occupation," said Cardassian Detapa Councior Natima Lang at the dedication of the new embassy, "but as Bajor blooms on this summer morning, so too should the ties of friendship and fidelity between our peoples."

Commander Harry Kim was appointed head of security for Starbase 11. In addition to his duties at the starbase, Kim was helping to organize improvements in starbase defenses for outposts along the Neutral Zone.

In a statement transmitted to Deep Space Nine, the Founders disavowed any connection with shapeshifters in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, saying that any changelings operating outside their authority are rogue. The terse subspace statement may have been directed at Laas, but Starfleet Intelligence believed that it was a reponse to reports of Undine infiltration.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 21, Chapter 4

On Nova Roma, Praetor Taris clashed yet again with the Romulan Senate over a plan to further restrict the powers of the praetor. Taris made a rare personal appearance before the Senate to argue against the proposal.

"In the absence of a monarch, and at a time of extreme upheaval in the Alpha and Beta quadrants," Taris said, "We must have one voice to speak for our empire to the galaxy. Only by expanding the praetor's powers will we have stability and strength. A disharmonious chorus leads to chaos."

Taris swayed some Senators to her side, but her general unpopularity with the Romulan populace doomed her call for expanding executive powers. The Senate proceeded with its plan to limit the power of the praetor.

In another possible problem for Taris, agents for Starfleet Intelligence intercepted and decoded several messages from Nova Roma to a planet deep in the Beta Quadrant. These messages pointed out irregularities in the reports about the death of General Tebok and the destruction of the I.R.W. Alth'lndor. Starfleet Intelligence agents reported that Sela had ordered her spies to investigate and find the truth of the matter.

Starfleet Intelligence observers reported a possible uprising in Romulan space that could further destabilize the already troubled empire.

"Velal has had enough," said one anonymous observer. "But to get rid of the devil, he might be making a deal with Fek'Ihr."

The commander of the Romulan Second Fleet reported met with Sela and some of her exiled followers in the Zeta Volantis system. Following that rendezvous, General Velal gathered a trusted group of ship commanders.

"Taris must be removed for the good of the Empire," said a source close to General Velal. "Velal's alliance with Sela will give him the ships and weapons he needs to make that happen. We don't want a civil war, but we know that there will be some parts of the fleet that will remain loyal to the praetor."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 22, Chapter 2

On Stardate 78092.83, Natima Lang was elected as the castellan of the Cardassian Union. The position put her on the front lines of foreing affairs, and she stepped into negotiations with the Ferengi Alliance and information sharing pacts with the Federation.

"I have focused much of my energy these past years inward. Reconstructing Cardassia Prime was my only goal," Lang said after her election. "But we've looked inward long enough. Cardassia Prime needs to build itself a place in the Quadrant just as much as it needs new houses and schools."

One sign of a return to normalcy for the Cardassians was the resumption of scientific research. On Stardate 78441.78, the Cardassian Science Ministry announced that it had developed a cure for Pottrik Syndrome. The terminal respiratory ailment afflicted hundreds of Cardassians each year.

The ministry reports that the treatment was in final testing, and would be available to patients by the end of the year.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 22, Chapter 3

On Qo'noS, the Klingon High Council was rocked by the revelation that Councilor Konjah was an Undine.

What Starfleet Intelligence learned about the situation is this. After a night of revelry in the First City, Konjah was walking with two other Klingons back to his lodgings when he was attacked by Lethean mercenaries. The telepathic assault forced Konjah to lose his humanoid form, and he shifted into his true appearance.

The Undine masquerading as Konjah was killed, and his body taken to the High Council chambers. Chancellor J'mpok then stripped the House of Konjah of its titles and status, and its members were either killed or forced into hiding.

"It was a witch hunt," says Lor Toret, a Bajoran who owned a restaurant on Qo'noS before the Khitomer Accords were dissolved in 2399. "I still have a lot of friends in the capital, and they're telling me that Konjah's family was hunted down like they were all Undine.

The sad thing is that no one knows how long the Undine had been in Konjah's place or what happened to the original. Did they kill him, or is he stuck in some Undine prison?"

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The Path to 2409: Volume 22, Chapter 4

The combined Gorn and Nausicaan forces were holding steady, but analysts believed that the Klingons would eventually be able to break through their lines and attack the core worlds of the Gorn Hegemony.

"it's a stalemate right now, but Gila IV showed us that the Gorn simply don't have enough soldiers and ships to repel the Klingons forever," said Apela Luss of the Federation News Network.

While the official Federation position was non-interference, not everyone in Starfleet agreed. On Stardate 78733.25, Captain Zachary MacAllister ignored a direct order from Starfleet Command and attempted to take the U.S.S. Lindberg into Gorn space.

"He wanted to help the Gorn," reported Ensign E'swa D'rex. "Captain MacAllister kept saying that when the Klingons were through withthe Gorn, they'd attack the Federation next. And that we had to stop them before that could happen."

After a tense three days traveling through a war zone, the Lindberg was confronted by a Klingon patrol. MacAllister ordered his crew to open fire, but instead the first officer and chief medical officer attempted to remove MacAllister from duty and surrender the ship. There was a running firefight through the ship, as MacAllister and a few supporters attempted to escape capture.

MacAllister made it to a shuttle bay and escaped. He is still a fugitive.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 22, Chapter 5

A contingent of retired and current Starfleet officers, including Ambassador Worf, Admirals Beverly Crusher, Kathryn Janeway and Chakotay and retired Captains Ezri Dax and Tuvok appealed to the Federation Council to reconsider its position on the Klingon-Gorn war.

"The Undine threat is real," Admiral Chakotay told the Council. "The Klingons know it. We should acknowledge it. Perhaps if we were helping them fight the Undine, more innocent people could be saved."

"There's a war coming, and it will be a long one."

Ambassador Sokketh of Vulcan led the opposition. "While we acknowledge and are grateful for the service of these fine Starfleet officers, the threat of the Undine is overstated," Sokketh says. "I'm sure, given time, that we will be able to come to a peaceful resolution with these ... observers from fluidic space."

After the council closed its session, Ambassador Worf resigned his position with the Federation and returned to Qo'noS for good.

"I can no longer support a regime that willfully ignores danger and puts itself and its citizens in harm's way," Worf wrote in a letter to Federation President Aennik Okeg. "I am Klingon, and I must follow the path of honor."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 22, Chapter 6

Two Starfleet advancements of note: Lieutenant Commander Naomi Wildman was appointed as second officer of the U.S.S. Hathaway, and Miles O'Brien was named head of the Starfleet Corps of Engineers, the first time a non-commissioned officer had held that position.

"This isn't about rank, it's about talent," said outgoing SCE chief Captain Sonya Gomez. "Miles is the quintessential engineer, and his talent for making the impossible possible makes him the ideal person for this job."

After almost two years of fighting, the Klingon and Orion fleets breached the Gorn lines and blockaded the Gorn homeworld.

The ships were harried by almost constant attacks by Nausicaan forces, but the blockade held. The Gorn erected a series of massive transport inhibitors to prevent invasion, and mined the area surrounding the planet with cloaked, self-replicating mines to prevent Klingon shuttles from landing.

The Klingons jammed all subspace communications, severing the Gorn leadership's ability to communicate with colony worlds and their remaining fleet. And the Orions staged a series of devastating raids on Gorn starbases, targeting supply lines and repair facilities across the region.

"It's a waiting game now," said political analyst Tag Morkek of the Tellar News Service. "How long can the Gorn fleet last, now that they have effectively lost the homeworld? What would Starfleet do if they lost Earth or Vulcan?"

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The Path to 2409: Volume 23, Chapter 2

A Klingon religious sect claiming that Miral Paris is the kuvah'magh attacked the U.S.S. Pike during Paris's senior cadet cruise. The Klingons managed to beam onboard the Pike by transmitting a distress signal and convincing the Pike that they need help to repair their vessel's failing life support systems.

Pike security teams were able to contain the raiders, who were transported back to Earth for questioning. No one was injured.

"This is an isolated incident," said Starfleet spokesperson Marie Durant. "We do not expect Cadet Paris to have any problems in her Starfleet career."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 23, Chapter 3

The U.S.S. Voyager, on a mission to survey planets in the Zenas Expanse, made first contact with a race known as the Lorians. Federation scientists theorized that the avian-like Lorians may be somehow related to the Xindi, but had insufficient data on ancient Xindi lifeforms to confirm their hypothesis.

The Lorians were warp capable, but reclusive. They were open to exchanging diplomats with the Federation, but asked that ships stay away from their space without permission.

And the Starfleet Corps of Engineers added the final elements to a long-term plan to construct starships using a modular system. This construction method allows ship captains to customize their ships and permits quick repairs.

"A captain can choose new components for his or her ship and our work crews can have them installed and ready to go in less than half the time of conventional ship construction," said spokesperson Marie Durant. "A damaged ship can get replacement parts from another Starfleet vessel, and the engineers don't have to worry about them not fitting or not working. This system means our crews can do more, stay in the field longer and have the ships they need to do their jobs."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 23, Chapter 4

On Stardate 79231.20, Ambassador Jean-Luc Picard retired from his position as Federation ambassador to Vulcan. Reports said that Picard would settle in France.

"We honor Ambassador Picard for his many years of service to the Federation," said Sokketh of Vulcan, who resigned his seat on the Federation Council to take up the role Picard vacated. "He has always been a friend to Vulcan."

Two months later, Admiral Beverly Crusher settled in on Earth as the head of Starfleet Medical.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 23, Chapter 5

A report from Cardassian Intelligence to Castellan Natima Lang confirmed that forces led by Gul Madred were likely to be in the possession of the warships missing from the Cardassian post-war inventories.

"They call themselves the 'True Way'," said Bajoran activist Crom Neret. "They say that the only 'true way' for Cardassia is conquest and death, and they want all non-Cardassians OUT.

"I told you years ago that those missing ships were trouble," Crom continues. "But did anyone listen? Maybe when the True Way starts attacking colonies, someone will take notice!"

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The Path to 2409: Volume 23, Chapter 6

In Romulan space, trouble flared when General Velal appeared before the Romulan Senate and demanded that Praetor Taris resign before she was removed from office by force. Velal had the backing of many of the senators, although a vote of no confidence failed by a minor margin.

In response, Taris called for ships of the fleet loyal to the legitimate government of the Romulan Star Empire to engage those supporting the revolution. There were multiple skirmishes between the two groups, and when Sela's fleet re-enterd Romulan space in support Velal, the conflict moved into open warfare.

On Stardate 80344.81, the web of transport inhibitors protecting the Gorn homeworld collapsed after the Klingon fleet blockading the planet used surgical strikes to take out the planet's power relay network. Less than 50 minutes after the network was destroyed, the first Klingon landing parties transported onto the planet's surface.

The remaining Gorn forces planetside made a last stand to defend key areas, and large segments of the population took up arms to defend their homes and families. However, the Klingons showed little interest in engaging civilian militias and instead massed their forces for an assault on the capital.

Twenty-eight hours after the first Klingon landed on the Gorn homeworld, forces from the Fifth Fleet entered the royal palace and the Gorn Hegemony fell to the Klingon Empire.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 24, Chapter 2

Once King Slathis of the Gorn surrendered and guaranteed that any Gorn troops left on the homeworld would not attack the Klingon forces, General Klag agreed not to take civilians into custody without cause and to lift martial law orders for most of the Gorn population.

"The Klingons seemed almost solicitous to the Gorn," said Admiral Jorel Quinn on an episode of the Federation News Service program Illuminating the City of Light.

"They were careful not to give the people a reason to revolt. It wasn't standard operating procedure for the Klingons after they conquer a world ... of course, as soon as J'mpok arrived, we all found out why."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 24, Chapter 3

General Klag was given a week to stabilize the situation on the Gorn homeworld before Chancellor J'mpok arrived with the I.K.S. Vo'quv. After transporting down and meeting with King Slathis, J'mpok ordered a global broadcast and used the Klingon fleet to extend the range of the transmission to hit most Gorn colony worlds and ships.

During the broadcast, the Klingons revealed the Gorn prime minister, head of military intelligence and multiple other high-ranking members of the Gorn government and military to be Undine infiltrators. The infiltrators were then immediately executed.

"We have shown the true face of the qa'meH quv," J'mpok said. "We are defending the Alpha Quadrant, not destroying it."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 24, Chapter 4

Hardliners on the Klingon High Council wanted King Slathis and his family executed to prevent the Gorn royal family from becoming a focus for revolutionaries. "We've conquered them. Now we need to rule them," Councilor Marab said. "There cannot be a king in our Empire."

After much deliberation, Chancellor J'mpok decided to offer the Gorn self-rule, as long as they swore fealty to the Klingon Empire. Slathis agreed, and as part of the settlement he was given a non-voting seat on the Klingon High Council. The KDF Fifth Fleet then withdraw from Gorn space.

"The Klingons have wooed the Orions. They've conquered the Gorn. Races like the Nausicaans are seeing the writing on the wall," said Tag Morkek of the Tellar News Service. "The Federation has real competition in the coalition-building business."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 24, Chapter 5

One blow for the Klingons this year was the departure of Emperor Kahless. Late in the year, Kahless handpicked a crew from the Order of the Bat'leth and departed on the I.K.S. Batlh. Kahless left a message behind saying that the Klingons no longer need his guidance, so he was departing to look for new battles to fight. Kahless promised to return when he was most needed.

For his part in revealing the Undine threat in the Gorn Hegemony, Captain Ja'rod was offered a seat on the High Council. Ja'rod declines and returned to the command of the I.K.S. Kang.

"Until I have fully proven my worth to the Empire," Ja'rod told the Council, "I do not deserve to be in your number. I will return to Qo'noS as a hero, or not at all."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 24, Chapter 6

In Romulan space, the conflict between Praetor Taris and General Velal continued to divide the already fractured empire. Kevatras and Abraxas Prime threw their support behind the rebellion, giving Velal and Sela's forces much needed safe havens and supply bases.

The war came to an abrupt end on Stardate 80957.96, when forces of the Romulan Second Fleet approached Rator III.

"The praetor had been locked in her rooms for a few days at this point, and she wouldn't allow anyone to enter," a Starfleet Intelligence observer reported. "Her staff finally broke down the door when Velal's fleet entered orbit. I think they were trying to get Taris to safety - but she was already gone."

An extensive search of the palace turned up no clues. The Tal Shiar extended the search to all of Nova Roma, but Praetor Taris has disappeared.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 24, Chapter 7

Velal and Sela landed in Nova Roma while the search for Praetor Taris was still ongoing, and proceeded directly to the Romulan Senate.

"Sela made a very pretty speech about how she was a loyal Romulan and a friend to the Senate, and not once did she mention the dozens of Warbirds she had in orbit over their heads," said Mira Mandel of the Federation News Service. "No one was surprised when the Senators tripped over themselves to offer her their fealty."

The Senate named Sela as praetor and General Velal as the leader of the Romulan fleet by acclamation. The reign of Praetor Taris was over.

Starfleet celebrated the opening of more links in the Federation transwarp network.

"In these troubled times, this technology is more important than ever," said Admiral Chakotay at the opening of a transwarp hub in the Alpha Centauri system. "Speed is essential if we need to repel an attack by the Klingons or the Romulans, or evacuate an entire planet if there is an environmental disaster.

"Just as warp drive once made the stars reachable, transwarp will make exploration of the entire galaxy possible."

Much of the Federation's time in 2404 was spent adjusting to the new balance of power in the galaxy. With the Klingon Empire expanding its influence and stability returning to the Romulans, the possibility of either side turning their attention to the Federation increased.

"If it's not the Klingons, it will be the Romulans. If it's not the Romulans, it will be the True Way! Mark My words - the Federation will come under attack, and it will happen soon," said activist Crom Neret.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 25, Chapter 2

The Soong Foundation sued for an injunction forcing Starfleet to reveal the whereabouts and condition of all of its holographic programs.

"We want to review these cases," said Soong Foundation attorney Alyssa Cogley-Shaw. "There are sentient lifeforms trapped in lives of misery and slavery, like the EMH Mark I holograms who have been mining dilithium for more than thirty years!"

Starfleet appealed the injunction, saying that the request was too broad and it invaded officers' privacy. "The brave men and women serving the Federation deserve to have some holographic entertainment without legal review," said Starfleet spokesperson Marie Durant. "Even if all classified uses of holograms were struck from this injunction, it is still illegal and irresponsible."

Legal analysts predicted this holorights case, like that of The Doctor, could go all the way to the Supreme Court of the Federation.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 25, Chapter 3

On Stardate 81753.16, Chancellor J'mpok informed the Federation ambassador that he was invoking ancient claims to the Hromi Cluster and the sectors surrounding it, an area that had been ceded to the Federation for decades.

J'mpok said that he would allow the Federation three months to remove all Federation citizens and assets from the region. There would be no negotiation.

According to Federation News Service polls, more than seventy percent of Federation citizens opposed acceding to the Klingons' demands. "Well of course we're not leaving," said Cassidy Munzer, a musician living on Earth. "We have to stop the Klingons somewhere, don't we?"

Federation President Aennik Okeg called for calm. "Let's not fight the war before the first shot is fired," Okeg said. "We will explore every option open to us, and peace is of utmost importance."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 25, Chapter 4

The Romulan Star Empire was enjoying a time of peace that it hadn't seen since the destruction of the Romulan homeworld almost two decades before. Praetor Sela settled long-simmering disputes between colony worlds, opened the Romulus memorial at the remains of the homeworld, and gently shaped the Senate to her way of thinking.

"She's using a little bit of blackmail, a dose of charm and a lot of guile," said a Starfleet Intelligence operative on Nova Roma. "But Romulus hasn't had a leader who can pull people together like she can since Donatra disappeared."

On Stardate 82001.36, Federation President Aennik Okeg informed the Klingon Empire that the Federation will not leave the Hromi Cluster or the sectors surrounding it.

"We will continue our explorations of the cluster. We will not uproot Federation settlements that have been in these sectors for decades. You claim you have ancient claims to this region of space. I say that current possession counts for something."

"We do not want war," Okeg continues. "But we will defend ourselves."

The Klingon response was swift. Three days later a Klingon fleet invaded the Korvat system, a target that may have been chosen for its symbolic value. In 2289, the Korvat Colony was the site of the negotiations between the Federation and the Klingon Empire that were a contributing factor to the successful signing of the Khitomer Accords in 2293.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 26, Chapter 2

"If the Federation was still welcome in Khitomer, it is reasonable to assume that Chancellor J'mpok would have attacked there," said Admiral T'nae on an episode of "Illuminating the City of Light."

"I do not believe that conquering the Korvat system is as important to the Klingons as the message. The alliance has ended."

The Klingons clashed with a fleet of Starfleet ships sent to protect the colony and stop Klingon landing parties attempting to forcibly remove Federation citizens from the planet.

"Initial reports from the front are good," said Starfleet spokesperson Marie Durant. "The U.S.S. Montgomery Scott was heavily damaged in the assault, but it is being towed to a starbase for repairs. We are confident that Starfleet can protect the residents of Korvat Colony, and the entire Federation."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 26, Chapter 3

The Klingons gained more support when a coalition of Nausicaan tribes signed a non-aggression pact with the Empire. Nausicaans who chose to swear fealty to the Klingon Empire were permitted to join the Klingon Defense Force and own property in the Empire.

"King Slathis of the Gorn should get the credit for bringing the Nausicaans into the Empire," said Tag Morkek of the Tellar News Service. "I think he sees the potential in a group of like-minded species ... like the Federation."

Observers of Klingon politics noted a development that could change affairs on Qo'noS when General Worf agreed to be gin'tak for Drax, son of Martok.

Worf has taken the title given to him by his old friend Martok, and now he will advice Martok's son on how to run his house," said an anonymous report. "Worf's skill in battle and politics could be just what the House of Martok needs to take a leading role in the Empire again."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 26, Chapter 4

The Federation was gaining allies as well. The Cardassians agreed to a scientific exchange pact that further cemented the alliance between the Federation and the Detapa Council.

And on Ferenginar, Grand Nagus Rom used a portion of the profits from his trade agreements with the Cardassians to finance the passage of expanded technology and information sharing agreements with the Federation.

"He's tying us to those charity-loving, no-latinum no-goods in the Federation," raged Qaris, an independent Ferengi running a trading station in the Argelius system. "I'm a legitimate businessman! I won't stand for it!"

While many Ferengi opposed closer ties with the Federation, and others saw the profit available in trading with the Klingon Empire and other Federation foes, Rom argued that the future of business depended on good relations with the Federation.

When opposition from the Economic Congress of Ferengi Advisers proved too costly to overcome, Rom took his victories and ended his fight for a formal alliance with the Federation.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 26, Chapter 5

Buoyed by early victories against the Klingons and the Ferengi technology and trade agreements, Federation President Aennik Okeg sailed to an easy victory for his third term.

"Why change now?" asked Rosa Oliver, a geologist working for Janus Mining. "He seems to be doing a good job."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 26, Chapter 6

On Stardate 82626.64, the Gorn entered the war on the side of the Klingon Empire. A Gorn fleet launched an invasion of Sherman's Planet that was easily turned away by Federation forces at Deep Space K-7.

"I think the Gorn were testing us," said station commander Captain Shir th'Talias. "Now they know that we're ready for a fight."

The war between the Federation and the Klingon Empire heated up when the Klingon fleets invaded the Archanis Sector.

Long-desired by the Klingons, the sector was relinquished to the Federation in the mid-23rd century. Klingon forces invaded it in 2372 during the last Federation-Klingon war, and the area had been hotly contested by both factions ever since.

"We took it back once," said Commander Akira Sulu. "We can do it again. I have utmost faith in the abilities and courage of my fellow Starfleet officers."

Military observers predicted that the fight for the Archanis Sector will be a long one. "The forces there are evenly matched," military strategist Sona of Vulcan told the Federation News Network. "The Klingons and their allies are fierce fighters, but Starfleet has never lacked in courage or tenacity. There is an 82.47 percent chance that this struggle will continue for at least one year."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 27, Chapter 2

One thing that was expected to help Starfleet was an advance in power cell technology developed by the research teams at Memory Alpha. The new cells made personal shield generators feasible for Starfleet officers on away teams.

"This new technology will keep our officers safe," said Starfleet spokesperson Loris Brex. "It is just one example of what the Federation can do. There is no problem that we cannot solve."

The first shield generators were issued to special teams on ground assaults in the Archanis Sector. Once the technology was adequately tested, Starfleet expected to provide it to all of its members. Three companies announced that they were working on variations of the technology for commercial use.

"Forget the shields, give us the power cells," said Soong Foundation researcher Alexander Baker. "If we had access to the cell technology now, it could cut months of our timetable to release a mobile emitter for holographic lifeforms who aren't in Starfleet."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 27, Chapter 3

Starfleet medical ships, including the U.S.S. Pasteur, U.S.S. Comfort, U.S.S. Curie and U.S.S. Fleming, were diverted to the Federation colony in the Carnegie system to combat a highly-virulent plague that reports said was affecting more than 80 percent of the population.

Information about the situation on Carnegie was extremely difficult to obtain, as subspace transmissions off-world were being blocked by Starfleet for "strategic reasons." Ships appraoching the Carnegie system were turned away, and no Carnegie vessels were allowed to leave the system.

"We're at war, and at the same time we're dealing with a virus that is devastating a colony that has factories and replicator facilities that supply goods to much of the Federation," Starfleet spokesperson Loris Brex told reporters when asked about the secrecy. "Not every detail of every situation needs to be on the nightly newsfeed."

There were widespread rumors that the plague was not biological in origin. Federation President Aennik Okeg refused to comment on these rumors when asked, saying only that Starfleet needed time and resources to treat the population and stop the spread of the contagion.

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The Path to 2409: Volume 27, Chapter 4

In one Starfleet promotion of note, Admiral Chakotay was named the new head of Starfleet Intelligence. Chakotay promised to bring more openness and accountability to what traditionally had been a very reclusive post.

In one of the Admiral's first briefings to Starfleet Command, he laid out what he saw as the current Undine situation in the Federation. Chakotay admitted that Starfleet Intelligence believed that there were at least 30 Undine infiltrators in Starfleet or high-level Federation posts.

"We're in trouble," Chakotay said. "There could be an Undine in this room, and we wouldn't know."

While Starfleet Intelligence did not have a foolproof method of detecting Undine in humanoid form, it was working on new technology to make this more feasible.

Fighting continued in the Archanis Sector, with both the Federation and the Klingons reporting significant losses.

"The Klingons might be happy that their crews are dying with honor, but we sent our sons and daughters to Starfleet to explore, not fight," said activist Crom Neret. "Isn't it time to find a peaceful solution?"

In fact, the Federation tried to do just that, sending repeated messages from the Federation Council and even a personal plea from Federation President Aennik Okeg to Chancellor J'mpok. The Federation was seeking peace talks or a cease-fire so that groundwork could be made toward a full peace summit.

J'mpok refused. "No longer will we die the death of a thousand cuts," J'mpok told the High Council. "Peace was the death of the Klingon Empire. Thankfully, it was a mistake that we caught in time."

"Conflict makes us Klingon. Combat makes us strong. I write my story with the my blade, and the ink is the blood of my enemies."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 28, Chapter 2

The Vulcan Science Academy was working on improvements to transwarp technology. "It's obvious that we need to improve our security and speed," said S'larin, one of the lead researchers. "Transwarp is the future of interstellar travel - and the Federation."

Reports from the Phylos system indicated that the Phylosians were struck by a similar virus to that which continued to rage through the Carnegie system. Starfleet Medical dispatched exobiology and medical teams, but they did not expect to find a counteragent quickly.

"The unusual nature of Phylosian anatomy makes any treatment difficult," said Admiral Beverly Crusher, chief of Starfleet Medical. "However, we are confident that, in cooperation with Phylosian scientists, we will be able to help them."

"Sela hasn't said a word about it herself, of course, but allies of hers in the Senate are floating the idea," one agent said. "And it's not a coincident that people have started making comparisons between Sela and beloved Romulan rulers like Ael i-Mhiessan t'Rllaillieu.

"There's even a quiet search going on for the Sword of S'task, even though everyone believes it was destroyed when the homeworld was lost."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 28, Chapter 4

On Qo'noS, representatives of the Letheans approached Chancellor J'mpok, seeking either entry into the Empire or a non-aggression pact like the one the Empire had with the Nausicaans. J'mpok seemed amenable to having Letheans owe allegiance to the Empire, but overall the Klingons did not see the negotiations as a high priority and progress was slow.

In the Ghomba system, forces from the Houses of Martok and Duras clashed over possession of a small planetoid rich in resources.

"This is the start of the war, mark my words," said Tiran, a historian and loresinger on Qo'noS. "I've seen it before. There will be glory and honor ... and blood. Much blood will be shed."

The Klingon and Gorn invaded Cestus III, and Starfleet massed a fleet to defend the planet and its population.

"This area has been on the Gorn's list since the days of James T. Kirk," said Pike City Mayor Jae Aaron. "But we're not afraid of the Gorn, or the Klingons, or anyone else for that matter. No one's leaving the stadium until the final inning."

Starfleet officials tried to convince the colonists to evacuate for safety reasons, but the vast majority of them refused to leave. The residents of Cestus III vowed to stay and defend their homes.

"We appreciate the spirit of the Cestus III residents, but we implore them to consider evacuating. At least send the young and ill to safety," said Starfleet spokesperson Loris Brex.

"This is a war. We can't promise a happy ending."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 29, Chapter 2

On Stardate 85365.28, years of instability and infighting in the Romulan Star Empire seemingly came to a close with the coronation of Empress Sela. The new empress would not have a praetor, and the Senate would serve at her pleasure.

"Security has clamped down in the capital," a Starfleet Intelligence source inside Romulan space said. "The Romulans say that they have reason to believe that there may be an assassination attempt on the empress, but I think it's more than that. This is the first time Sela can show just how much control she has."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 29, Chapter 3

Observers at the coronation of Empress Sela said that it proceeded with as much pomp and circumstance as the recovering Romulan Star Empire could muster. Sela called for a return to the traditions of old, including the carrying of honor blades and blood oaths.

In fact, before taking the crown the empress used a jeweled blade to cut her own palm. As the blood dripped down onto a rug of white fur, Sela took an oath to uphold and preserve the empire with her life.

"Tradition is very important in this new order," the SI source said. "Sela is consciously recalling a golden age on the old homeworld, and using those memories to inspire the people. They're talking about mnhei'sahe again, and a lot of people have started referring to Nova Roma as Mol'Rihan, which is 'New Romulus' in High Rihannsu."

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The Path to 2409: Volume 29, Chapter 4

After Starfleet lost contact with Starbase 236 in late September, it sent the U.S.S. Enterprise-E to investigate.

"This could be related to the war. It could be something else. It could be a simple equipment failure," Brex said. "Our primary concern is the safety of the starbase crew."

And a Starfleet committee determined that because of retirements, deaths and the increasing demands of the Klingon war, Starfleet faced a severe shortage of qualified command personnel.

The committee recommended revising rules on away teams to encourage more officers to seek command positions, increasing enrollment at Starfleet Academy and revising the command structure to allow for the best use of experienced personnel.

"I think we're past the point where you need to spend twenty years as an officer before you can be considered for command," said committee chairman Admiral Jorel Quinn. "We need to promote exceptional officers quickly. We need our captains leading away teams. Starfleet needs to look at our whole command structure and do what works now, not what worked 30 years ago."

Two hundred thousand years ago, Dewa III was one of the primary colony worlds for the Iconians. Millions of Iconians lived on the lush, temperate planet, tended by their Dewan servants. A network of gateways connected Dewa III to the rest of the empire.

It was a paradise - if you were Iconian.

The Iconians used their advanced technology to hold their empire in an iron grip. They used "lesser" races as slaves and shock troops, plundered planets for natural resources and destroyed cities on a whim. There was no place safe from the Iconians, because their gateways enabled them to appear anywhere in an instant.

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The History of New Romulus: Volume 1, Chapter 2

In an empire divided by technology, it was inevitable that there would be dissension. While the Iconians controlled their gateways and the massive city ships, they were far outnumbered by the other species, who ultimately banded together to destroy their oppressors.

Dewa was the first target for orbital bombardment. The barrage of weapons and mass drivers destroyed the geothermal taps that provided power to everything on the planet - including the gateways. Seeing their means to escape being destroyed, thousands of Iconians fled through the gateways as the bombs fell. They left most of their Dewan servants behind to die.

The assault was so great that it shifted the planet's orbit, scorching a land mass that was once home to more [sic] three million Dewans and Iconians.

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The History of New Romulus: Volume 1, Chapter 3

The survivors of the Dewan bombardment were cut off from their homeworld without any of the technology they had once relied upon.

High radiation counts made large swaths of the planet of the planet uninhabitable. The ruins of the cities were toxic nightmares. The Iconians' archives and wondrous devices were lost or destroyed, so the Dewans did their best to scratch out a post-apocalyptic existence in areas that were still safe for habitation. Even then, mutations, cancer clusters and crop failures were common. Most Dewans in this era died young, which meant that knowledge of the Iconians slowly slipped away.

Although the Iconian civilization faded into legend, the descendants of the survivors developed their own culture and adapted to the changes in the planet. Eventually, they developed a non-warp capable culture with legends of "gods" who had once walked among them.

Thousands of years later, the Dewans began to explore the vast ruins left by their ancestors, using artifacts they found there to advance their own technology. They built their first space craft and took tentative steps to explore the Dewa system. The cost was high, but the benefits were great. The Dewans were almost ready to build a starship that could leave the system. In five years or so, they would explore the stars.

Then they found the gateway.

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The History of New Romulus: Volume 2, Chapter 2

At first the gateways's discovery was a revelation. If the Dewan scientists were correct, the gateway could transport a person through time and space in an instant. Who needed space ships?

The Dewans abandonend their efforts to build new ships and devoted all of their attention to the gateway. It took decades of study and effort, but eventually the Dewans were ready to reactivate it. All it needed was power.

Like the Iconians of old, the Dewans chose to use geothermal energy. What they didn't realize wa the seismic instability created by the bombardment made tapping the planet's core extremly dangerous.

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The History of New Romulus: Volume 2, Chapter 3

All the volcanoes in the nothern range erupted. Thick clouds of ash choked out the suns. Temperatures in the habitable zone near the equator plunged. Growing crops was impossible.

The Dewans disabled the geothermic taps, but the damage was done. Within 20 years most of the surviving pouplations had moved into a network of caverns to the south, far away from the volcanoes and the toxic hot zones. They tried to start again, this time planning to build colony ships to transport the population to a safe, habitable planet, but it was no use. The Dewan civilization was doomed, and the last survivor died about 150,000 years ago.

Without sentient life, the planet was of little interest to early space travelers, and it was unsuitable for colonization. About 4,000 years ago, traders looking for new markets or valuable mineral deposits charted the system. The high levels of radiation on Dewa III adversely affected their scans and they detected nothing of value. They marked the planet as "uninhabitable and unprofitable" and moved on.

It stayed that way until about the 4th century, Earth time. That was the Time of Awakening on Vulcan, when Surak ended the wars and taught the philosophy of logic. He was opposed by "those who marched beneath the raptor's wings," Vulcans who embraced their emotions and did not want to change.

Eventually, thousands of Vulcans left the homeworld to wander the stars in giant generational ships, looking for a world to call their own. During their quest they landed on the planet that much later would be known as New Romulus.

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The History of New Romulus: Volume 3, Chapter 2

Although the planet had promise, many among the Vulcans argued that the ambient radiation counts were too high and the climate too unlike their Vulcan home. Still, the planet was relatively pleasant after the ordeals of living on the ships, so the Vulcans lingered.

Conflict soon broke out between those who wanted to keep searching for a home and those who were tired of wandering and wanted to settle on Dewa III. More than two hundred died in the fighting. The spilled blood soured support for a settlement on the world, and in a few weeks the Vulcans refilled their supplies and moved on.

After that, the planet was abandoned again. There was the occasional archaeological expedition or mining camp, but they never stayed long. Both the Klingons and Romulans marked it as a possible site for colonization, but there were better worlds and these plans never came to fruition.

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The History of New Romulus: Volume 3, Chapter 3

Today on New Romulus, a shining city rises in the spot where those who marched beneath the raptor's wings once walked. Volcanic mountains provide shelter for predators. Lazy rivers amble toward a peaceful sea.

Deep beneath the ground, Tholians search for remnants of lost civilizations. Ruins that speak of the planet's history dot the forests. Because no evolution comes without conflict, Romulans clinging to the ways of the past struggle with those embracing a new way of life.

The radiation caused by the cataclysm has changed this planet, but with modern technology and work it is habitable once more. And in a forgotten crypt thousands of years old, there is a gateway. All it needs is power.

Today starts the fifth year of life on the ships. It's also my fourteenth birthday. Mother gave me this recording device and said that I should keep a record of our travels, so that my children would know what life was like on the ships.

It's terrible here. We keep the ships cold to conserve power, there's never enough to eat and the environmental scrubbers can't keep up with the strain, so the air always smells.

Worst of all, there's nothing to do. Mother teaches us our lessons, and Father tells us stories about our clan and its great heroes. But they both work all the time, so mostly it's just me and Thel.

5

The History of New Romulus: Volume 4, Chapter 2

Mother says Vulcan will always be home in our hearts, even though we can't live there anymore. But Thel was a baby when we left - he doesn't remember it at all. Does that mean he doesn't have a home?

Today I told him stories about Vulcan. I told him about the sky, and about walking in the Forge for days without ever seeing a building or a tree. He didn't believe me when I said there was snow at the peak of Mount Seleya, and he laughed when I told him about the time our uncle Vorth tried to tame a le-matya.

Thel will never meet Vorth, or Grandmother, or any of our family. They all stayed on Vulcan. I wonder if they tell stories about us.

5

The History of New Romulus: Volume 4, Chapter 3

Every night when I go to sleep, I close my eyes and dream of Vulcan. I remember our house, and my sehlat cub I-Chek. I remember Grandmother's soft voice and when Vorth taught me how to play kal-toh.

I remember the crowds in the markets, and the spicy incense in the temples that tickled my nose. I remember playing with my friends by the city walls. But most of all, I try to remember the sunlight on my face.

I'm starting to forget what sunlight feels like.

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The History of New Romulus: Volume 4, Chapter 4

Father said we left Vulcan so we could be free. He says Surak's philosophy is a prison for the mind, and that one day we'll find a new home where we can do and act as we wish.

That didn't make sense to me. How can you imprison a mind?

He told me that Surak taught his followers that they had to suppress all of their emotions, not just the ones that cause harm. Father said that we shouldn't let anger or hate control us, but we have the right to feel them, just as we have the right to love or be happy.

Mother is a botanist in the hydrophonic labs. Father is an engineer. He says I can be an engineer too when I'm older, but I don't want to work with the engines. They're loud and dirty and always breaking down.

Maybe I'll be a teacher or work in a nursery. There are always new babies, and all of the adults on the ships work such long shifts that they don't spend much time with their families. Father only comes back to our quarters to sleep.

Every day is the same here.

5

The History of New Romulus: Volume 4, Chapter 7

Mother made us stay inside our quarters today. Yesterday too. She says it's because there is an outbreak of Arethian flu on the lower decks, but that's not the real reason.

I heard the men fighting in the food ration lines. I saw the blood, green and slick on the deck. Mother told us not to look, but later I heard her and Father talkin in low voices.She sounded worried.

We're cooped up here day after day, and it's been so long since we found a Minshara class world. People are starting to lose[sic] hope.

I found my old data recorder the other day. It's so strange to read about the things I thought were important back then - food and boredom and the people we left behind on Vulcan.

We've been on the ships for eleven years now. I don't dream about Vulcan anymore. The ship is all there is. It's still cold, still miserable ... but we have even less food now than we did before. We lost three hydrophonics bays a year ago to a breach. Now that entire section is closed off.

The ships weren't designed to be in continued use for this long, and things break. Hull plating wears out. People die.

Mother still tells Thel everything will work out, and that the next world we visit my be the one. Our forever home.

She used to tell me the same stories too.

5

The History of New Romulus: Volume 5, Chapter 2

I spent this afternoon helping out in hydrophonics. Mother is still trying to increase production, and she thinks that a more efficient layout will help. Practically, what that means is a lot of dragging heavy lights around and trying not to trip over the irrigation pipes.

A few of the other botanists had people in to make the work go faster. Sepin's mate stopped by with the extra cabling we needed. Temen brought two friends, and all of Veka's grandchildren were there.

I knew almost everyone - it's hard not to, when we live in such close quarters - but Veka's grandson Saken was new. He was living with his mother on the Seleya, but transferred here last month to work in engineering. The Seleya is doing even worse than our ship, and it can no longer support a full population.

We didn't even really speak, but there was something about Saken ... maybe it's just because it's so strange to meet someone new. I hope I see him again soon.

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The History of New Romulus: Volume 5, Chapter 3

When I was little, I wanted to work in the nursery and help take care of the children. There are fewer children now, because our leaders have called for population controls until we find a new homeworld.

Fewer children mean fewer teachers. I had to find something else once I came of age.

My mother encouraged me to study with the priestesses, but to me, that was even more unnecessary than nursery workers. We can't cling to the old ways or the old world anymore. Even our language is starting to change as we pick up words from the races we trade with or slang slips into everyday use.

Now I'm a junior sensors officer. It's a boring job most of the time, just simple maintenance and monitoring. But it's quiet and safe, and I like to think I'm doing some good.

Maybe if we find a new planet, I'll be the first one to see it.

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The History of New Romulus: Volume 5, Chapter 4

Saken and I have been spending more time together. meals, sharing books, games of kal-toh on the recreation deck. At first it was nice to have a new friend, but now I'm starting to feel more for him.

That's supposed to be a good thing. We left Vulcan so our hearts could be free. So we could love as we wished and not see our emotions as a burden. There is nothing logical about love, but it is something I would not want to live without.

I find it's easier to put my feelings here than it is to put them into words when I'm with Saken. I can only hope that he feels the same way.

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The History of New Romulus: Volume 5, Chapter 5

Temen came to our quarters today. I told him that Mother had taken Thel to wait for our food ration, but he said he was there to see me.

I wasn't comfortable staying here alone, so we walked to the observation deck. I don't understand - Temen is a friend of my parents. He's fifty years older than I am! Why did he say such things to me? Why did he tell me he thought I was beautiful?

I didn't know how to respond. I don't see Temen that way. I told him I was flattered, but that I hope that what Saken and I have will become something permanent.

He said he would give me time to change my mind, that I was still young. He had such a dark look in his eyes when he said it.

5

The History of New Romulus: Volume 5, Chapter 6

I can't sleep. I feel like I'm about to crawl out of my skin. I'm cold but I can't stop sweating. It's so hard to concentrate that I can barely type these words.

I tried to meditate, to push this madness down into the hidden reaches of my soul, but it was no use. My blood is fire, burning through my veins, scourging away everything but need. It sings in my ears, drowning out every other sound.

I've shut myself in our quarters. Hidden in the dark. I can't be around anyone right now. Mother took Thel to stay with friends and Father ... he's gone. I think he's trying to find Saken.

Why isn't Saken here? Can't he hear the pounding in my head?

5

The History of New Romulus: Volume 5, Chapter 7

Since I was a child, I've had people tell me how our way is better than Surak's. That when we are free to act and feel and love as we wish, only then are we complete. That suppressing our emotions is a betrayal of the soul.

If I could bury my emotions today, I would do it without hesitation.

Saken is gone.

We were to be bonded. I offered konn-ut-so'lik, and he accepted with love. The blood fever was upon me, so we proceeded immediately to the priestess to complete the rites.

Temen was waiting. He challenged. He had no right! Saken was my choice!

My fever died with my heart.

Temen still seeks to claim me. This time, I will act as my own champion.

Blood can only be avenged with blood.

5

The History of New Romulus: Volume 5, Chapter 8

Temen is dead, and I feel no release.

Love is a lie. Emotions are a burden. Why did we come so far only to embrace pain?

When I look over these entries, it is like reading the letters of a long-dead friend. I do not entirely recognize the person I once was.

Saken is still in my heart, even thogh his katra is gone. I treasure his life. It is better than dwelling on his death.

Most of my time is spent focusing on the future of my people. I'm putting my teaching training to use as part of a group that is creating a new culture. We're even working on a new language. It uses an archaic form of Vulcan as the base, but there is little else left to tie it to our past.

It has been more than twenty years since the ships left Vulcan. If we truly want to be our own people, we cannot cling to the ways of the past. No more rituals, no more religion, no more koon-ut-kal-if-fee. Our biologists are even working on a way to purge us of the blood fever.

Our future is somewhere in the stars.

5

The History of New Romulus: Volume 6, Chapter 2

We have found a new world! Sensors indicate a Minshara class planet just three light years off our current course.

With every planet we discover, hope lives. Even if this is not the one we have been searching for, at the very least it will be a chance to rest and resupply our ships.

If we stay longer than a few days, the leaders will start letting people off the ships. I dream of a chance to walk on solid ground and see sky over my head instead of metal. To feel sunlight. To have a breeze caress my face.

We cannot survive as people if we cannot leave the ships. Violence is commonplace now - two decades of close quarters have made that inevitable. I fear what will happen if we start separating ourselves into factions.

I will not lose faith. If this planet is not the right one, the next one will be.

5

The History of New Romulus: Volume 6, Chapter 3

I've joined a team exploring some ruins near our landing site. They share elements with ancient settlement remains we've seen on other worlds, but we've never been able to identify their origin.

What we've found suggests that the original inhabitants of this place were very advanced technologically. Quantum dating puts the ruins at more than 150.000 years old, yet we've found signs of a power grid, devices that could be used as sensors, even the remains of an anti-gravitational device.

Who once walked in these forests amd used these tools? We've found no signs of crypts or burial sites, but someone had to have made these things. Where did they go?

5

The History of New Romulus: Volume 6, Chapter 4

Some people claiming this is a paradise. If it is, then paradise is full of dangers.

We have to wear tags to track our radiation exposure if we spend to long in the wild. Mother says she has to be very careful to sterilize any plant samples she brings aboard the ship. It's all manageable for now, but we will need to manage our stores of anti-radiation drugs very carefully.

Also we've detected pockets of geothermal instability. A plan to use geothermal power for the housing pods had to be scrapped because it could have caused a major seismic event.

The science team thinks whis was the site of a cataclysmic event or events that destabilized the entire planet. The native flora and fauna adapted long ago. We are the intruders here now.

If we stay here, we will have to adapt as well.

5

The History of New Romulus: Volume 6, Chapter 5

We've been on this planet, which the leaders have named Vastam, for six months. We've conquered many of the problems we first encountered here - scorpions, storms, finding potable water. We have safe zones where we don't have to worry about the radiation. Teams are delving deeper into the caversn and trying to tame the beasts near the river for domestic use.

There are some who think that's good enough. We can continue to make improvements here, be we can't guarantee that there is a habitable planet that fits our requirements somewhere else. I think many of these people just can't face getting back on the ships and a return to the cold of space. <br.[sic] I agree with the Science Council. There is too much we would need to change about this world to live here. In adapting it to our needs we could do irreparable damage to the ecosystem. <br>[sic]It is time to try again. We will be sending out scout vessels, but I fear unless a more suitable candidate for colonization is found soon, it will be difficult to persuade people to continue the search.

5

The History of New Romulus: Volume 6, Chapter 6

The leaders announced that they would hold an open debate on the fate of Vastam. Everyone would have the chance to speak.

I admire the attempt at democracy, as misguided as it was. But too many people already had their minds made up. People started shouting, and then a man pushed the captain of the Surani. Her guards knocked the man to the ground and there were shots fired. After that, it was chaos.

I wanted to get away, take our parents someplace safe, but Thel is so impulsive. He saw two men beating old Veka, who has been outspoken about her desire to stay on Vastam. Thel plunged into the crowd toward them. That was the last I saw of him until now.

He's been badly injured. Thank the Elements that someone brought him to a healer. He's still unconscious, but the healer thinks he will survive. Others weren't so fortunate. There are more than a hundred dead, and the fighting hasn't stopped.

5

The History of New Romulus: Volume 6, Chapter 7

We are leaving Vastam. As soon as the ships are resupplied we will depart forever.

Two hundred and forty seven people died in the fighting. The Sword of the Raptor Star, one of the great weapons created by S'harien before the Sundering, is gone. It was last seen in the hands of the captain of the Surani. Her body was found, but the blade is missing.

After the battles burned themselves out and the funerals were done, the leaders announced that anyone who wanted to stay on Vastam could do so, but the fleet would move on. As far as I know, no one is staying.

I have no doubt that there is still bad blood between people who survived the fighting. But no one wants a return to the wars we fought on Vulcan. No one wants to admit that is who we are.

They appeared in light and performed great miracles. They ordered us to serve, and any who did not obey were destroyed by weapons that spat fire.

For eons were their slaves. Eventaully we learned more about their technology and miraculous device they used to travel from world to world. But we were not the only slaves of the gods, and on a hundred worlds people bound together. They fought the gods. Millions of rebels died, but they kept fighting.

Our planet was one of those targeted by the rebels. Great ships attacked from orbit, creating chasms that swallowed entire settlements. Giant clouds of ash blackened the sky.

The gods used their device to disappear. They left my people to die.

5

The Last Days of the Dewans: Part Two

After the gods left was the darkest period in our history.

Thousands died. None of the devices left behind worked, and the archives were closed to us. All of the wonders they had given us were lost.

My ancestors struggled through disease, war, starvation and disaster. But they survived. They developed a culture of their own, one that didn't depend on the largess of mysterious aliens. They developed their own technology, and built a civilization that we thought would last forever.

It was a glorious time to be Dewan. We were the rulers of our own destiny.

5

The Last Days of the Dewans: Part Three

When you have explored every inch of your own world, when you have stood at the peak of the highest mountain and plunged deep beneath the sea, then you turn your eyes to the stars.

It was difficult at first to get support for space exploration. The cost was very high, and the chance of success was slim. Other needs were more pressing. Politicians talked about the folly of wasting resources that could be used for the people here on Dewa.

The folly, however, would have been not to explore. To stagnate. Space was calling. A million gems in the sky, each one holding secrets to explore.

Long ago, the stories said our gods came from the stars. Now we would join them.

5

The Last Days of the Dewans: Part Four

When our first ships left orbit it was like being a child again. Everything was new. Anything was possible.

We had sent unmanned probes to other planets, and even managed to find one where our scientists thought life could exist, a place we called Narendra.

Not every mission was a success, and the greatest debate on whether to build starships was the risk involved. Eventually, however, we realized we needed to see these worlds with our own eyes, and not on a screen. We needed to step onto Narendra.

We needed to become a part of something greater than us.

5

The Last Days of the Dewans: Part Five

We were planning a manned flight to the edge of our solar system when they found it.

A science team working near the eastern volcanic zone discovered a series of lava tubes that looked like they had been worked with ancient tools. These tunnels led to a great chamber, and inside of it was the device.It was the doorway of the gods.All work on space flight stopped. Our leaders said opening the door was a sacred duty. Soon our entire civilization was focused on the door. Where did it lead? Would the gods welcome us? Would we be gods ourselves?

A few of us knew this was the wrong path. The gods --- if they were truly that, and not just aliens -- had enslaved and then abandoned us once. What could we gain by finding them again?

5

The Last Days of the Dewans: Part Six

It took decades of work before we were ready to activate the doorway.

Our biggest problem was power. The mechanism required massive amounts of power, more than our entire power grid could supply. We determined that the beings who created this device must have used geothermal power, which was why it was located deep underground. We needed to develop new technology to be able to tap the power successfully, and upgrade our grid to be able to handle it. Even new types of cable had to be developed.

All along were were being pushed to do it faster. The public wanted to see progress. The leaders called for status updates. Maybe that's why it happened. There was so much pressure people started cutting corners.

Finally we were ready. Dignitaries from all fields gathered in the doorway chamber for the great day. Three men had been chosen to be the first through the door. They were the best of us.

The minister of science threw the switch. With a great thrumming vibration, the doorway came to life. It was a success!

And then disaster struck.

5

The Last Days of the Dewans: Part Seven

We made a horrible mistake. We should have left the doorway where we found it. We never should have created the geothermal taps.Every faultline on the planet destabilized. Every volcano on the planet erupted. Great fissures appeared. Thousands died in the initial event, and thousands more every day after.For more than six months, the ground shook day and night. People said we had offended the gods. I know the truth. We tried to be gods, and in the process we destroyed everything.

It was the end of our world.

5

The Last Days of the Dewans: Part Eight

These are our last days. In a few years, decades at the most, my people will be extinct.

Small groups of us have retreated to caves like this, the only places left that are safe from the killing cold that has settled over this planet. But we have limited resources and no way to get more. It will be thousands of years before the surface is safe again. By then it will be too late.

As I write this story in the final days of the Dewan civilization, I am struck by how similar our situation is to our ancestors. They took, suffered through great hardship. But unlike us, they found a way to survive.

If anyone finds this record, remember us. Once we lived and loved on this planet. We raised children and mourned our dead. We created a great civilization and destroyed it through our mistakes.

You uncovered several pieces of data about what was happened potentially thousands of years ago inside of the Dyson Sphere Battlezone.

10

Awaiting the Return

You found documents detailing the previous inhabitants of the sphere retreating to somewhere else, promising that they would one day return.

0

Voth Cultural Expert

You recovered all seven datapads regarding the Voth in the battlezone.

10

Testing the Limits

You discovered the area classified as the "city" by allied forces was used for psychological experiments. The intent was to create a weapon to use against the enemies of the Dyson Sphere.

0

Searched for the Truth

The area classified as a "park" by the allied forces has many things that make it seem more than a simple park. You investigated some consoles and discovered the previous inhabitants were using the area to conduct experiments on various creatures.

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